Seemed Like A Good Idea
by Ignorance-Your New Best Friend
Summary: My first Harry Potter fic! Takes place in the sixth book: Harry likes Ginny, Hermione likes Ron. But neither of them can be with who they'd wish. So, their only option? Each other. Not what it sounds like ... Harry/Ginny, Hermione/Ron.R&R. FINISHED! :D
1. Go For It

My first Harry Potter fic; it's Ron/Hermione and Harry/Ginny, though it might not seem like it. Please keep it in mind while you read!

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"Gerremoffme!" Ron yelled, but with one last look of vindictive fury, Hermione wrenched open the door and disappeared through it. Harry thought he heard a sob before it slammed.

He looked at Ron, who was fighting of the small yellow birds Hermione had conjured up.

"Erm… I'm going to go and see how she is," he said awkwardly, torn between two friends.

"Yeah, get out of here," Ron growled, having a some sort of a fit, destroying birds with a flick of his wand.

Harry hesitated before he followed the sobs. It wasn't hard to find her in the charm's class. This time, there weren't any birds. He sat down next to her, on one of the tables. Soon, she was crying on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry about you and Ginny," Hermione finally mustered, drying her eyes. "It must be terrible. Seeing her with someone else."

"Yeah. It is."

Hermione nodded, not daring to look at her face.

"Terrible," she repeated in a whisper. "Like this feeling. This feeling is terrible. I hate it, Harry. I want it to go away," she said, her voice trembling.

"Believe me, Hermione, if I knew how, I'd tell you. I know how you feel. And I hate it too." He rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. "I honestly thought that he liked you." As soon as he said those words, he cursed himself. That was going to make it better. Way to go, Harry.

"So did I," was all she said. "But with Ginny, I know that she likes you."

"Huh?"

"Oh, yeah," she laughed, cheering up. "She's liked you for ages. I probably shouldn't tell you this but… do you remember the Valentines Day card?"

"Yeah… but c'mon, Hermione. That was years ago. She's with Dean now."

"Maybe she's just forgotten. Or buried it. Maybe you made her think it was impossible," Hermione said. She was quiet, trying to think back if that had happened with Ron. Maybe he did like her… no. He'd still be with her, not Lavender Brown.

"Great, Hermione. It's my fault, now."

"Oh? Oh, yes. Haha," she muttered. "You like Ginny," she stated. Harry blinked.

"Um, yeah. Like." Like didn't seem like the right word. For Harry, it was more like: madly in love with, or something along those lines.

"I… _like_ Ron," she stated, though struggling more with the words. She breathed out heavily, and felt like a great weight had been lifted. "Wow, it feels good to talk about. You're good to talk too."

"Thanks-"

"I think that we should date."

Harry blinked.

"Huh?"

"Not really of course. But to get them to see how great we are."

"I don't think-"

"Come one, Harry," she said, tugging on his arm. "Do this for me."

"Hermione. I don't really think that-"

"Please."

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't do that to Ron. He's my best friend. As much as a best friend as you are, Hermione. I wouldn't do it to you either."

She sighed a closed her eyes.

"I know. It was ridiculous. But for a second, it seemed like a good idea."

Harry wouldn't admit it, but it had seemed like a good idea to him too.

He stood up. "Maybe we should go back to the common room."

"Yes. We should."

She stood too. And then she kissed him.

At first, he was confused. What was going on? His eyes were wide open, as if trying to wake up from this insanity. But then he realized what was happening, and pushed her away.

"Hermione!" he stammered, not moving his hands from her shoulders, as if keeping her at a safe distance.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." She put her hand to her head. "I don't know what came over me. Sorry. I'm a mess." She sat down once more, head in her hands. He was afraid that she was going to cry again, so he put her hand on her back. He wondered what to say.

"OK, all is forgiven. Just – don't do that again." He frowned, and then shuddered. It felt like what he'd imagine kissing a sister would feel like: not good.

She looked up. Oh, she was tearing up. "I'm sorry, Harry," she mumbled.

"I've forgotten it already."

"Really? Thanks. I'm so, so sorry. Please, hex me if I ever do something that stupid again. Or… something. I don't have feelings for you – not like that-"

"I know. Let's just… go. Um… now. Just – don't…"

"I know," she sighed. It's not like she had planned it. It's not like she was crazy about Harry. That had just been… awkward.

But Harry kept his distance the whole way back to the common room, and kept on giving her sideways glances. She did the same.

But at the fat lady portrait, Harry stopped her.

"Let's just make this clear. That meant-"

"Nothing," she finished for him.

"Nothing, right. Good." He patted out his trousers.

"And it was-"

"A mistake," she finished again.

"OK. We can go in now," he said, breathing out, relieved. She nodded. They were both feeling as awkward as each other about this. And looking up to see the Fat Lady looking at them, interested, just made it worse.

They both fumbled inside, now even redder.

Hermione spotted Ron, however, in the corner, with Lavender, and turned a great shade of purple worthy of uncle Vernon.

Harry spotted Ginny, however, on the sofa in front of the fire, sitting on Dean Thomas' lap. The monster inside of him roared.

Without thinking, he grabbed Hermione's waist and drew her towards him.

"Harry!" she hissed. "What are you doing?"

"I decided to accept your plan."

"What -? Oh. OK…"

Harry dared a look over at Ron, who had stopped what he was doing (snogging Lavender). He looked confused.

"He's going to kill me," he whispered in Hermione's ear.

"And Ginny me."

To Harry's joy, he saw that Ginny looked dumbstruck; almost as so as her brother. He tore his gaze away from her and dared to look at Hermione, who was looking rather pleased with herself.

"What the heck to I do now?" he dared to whisper.

"I don't know," she whined quietly. "I didn't get to think too far. Now this seems even more stupid."

"But it's working…?"

"I know that. Just put your arm around my shoulder and give me a kiss-" Harry frowned "-on the cheek," she frowned back at him, "when you drop me off at the girls' stairs…"

"Easy for you to say, you don't have to share a dorm room with the guy. He's going to murder me in my sleep."

"But if it works, we won't have to keep this up for long. Besides, I'll have my own torture."

Harry gave her a questioning gaze.

"The girls in my dorm room are going to want to know all about it."

"Oh god," Harry whispered.

Hermione nodded.

They made there way towards the girls' stairs.

"I'm going to bed," Hermione said loudly, knowing that Ron would be able to hear her. She gave him an urgent look.

"What? Oh, um, yeah-" he hesitated and gave her a peck on the cheek. He could feel many eyes from all around the common room stare at him.

She breathed in. She could already feel what a bad idea this was. "OK," she mustered, and ran up the stairs, hiding her face with her bushy hair.

"OK," Harry agreed, making a beeline towards the boys' dorm rooms, not daring to look anywhere but his feet. As soon as he was away from Ginny, and the monster in his chest had died down (kind of), he finally realized the full stupidity of what he was doing.

But…

What if it worked?

Who cared?

He wasn't going to lose one of his best friends because he was pretending to date the other.

He tried to sleep, but he couldn't. Not when he dreaded Ron's arrival. In fact, he kept his wand in his hand, just in case. _And_ he kept his glasses on. He didn't want to accidentally curse Neville.

Neville was in fact, the one who came in first. But he seemed to believe that Harry was asleep. And he was asleep within moments, snoring loudly.

And that was when Ron came in. He stood there for a while, and Harry wished that his heart wouldn't beat so loud.

He heard Ron go towards his bed, and he tightened his grip around his wand.

But there was no sound. He heard his friend undress and get in to bed.

Great, now he would have to dread the morning.

"Mate?"

Oh god.

"If you're awake – I… um." Harry heard a sigh, and held his breath, waiting for the explosion. He even closed his eyes. "I guess what I'm trying to say is... Go for it."

What?

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Thanks for reading, if you've reached this far.

OK, I PROMISE that this is Ron/Hermione and Harry/Ginny. Promise.

Please review! It's my first Harry Potter fic!


	2. The Next Morning

Wow. I think that yesterday I got the most reviews/alerts in the shortest time ever (for me). In 2 hours, I have four reviews. Yipee! So, I made it my priority to update as soon as I could.

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_Ron's POV_

_What the hell? Since when did my two best friends hook up when my back was turned? Don't get me wrong... I don't... care. But, still. Anyway, it was only a matter of time. I've always thought that they would be happy with each other; I mean, why would Hermione choose me while having the bloody Chosen One, The Boy Who Live, standing right next to me? Of course she would chose him._

_I guess I was stupid to even think so._

_Yeah, that's right. I'm an idiot. A no one. The best friend of The Boy Who Lived. And I probably won't be anything more. Ever._

_God. My life's a bloody mess._

_It's weird; I thought that Hermione was actually jealous, what with the crying and those bloody birds. But women... I won't ever understand 'em._

_But, I don't care. I'm with Lavender, and I have a feeling that this is the start of something great._

_Just... great._

Harry had trouble sleeping at first; Ron kept on tossing and turning, sighs included. After Harry had finally fallen asleep, he woke up at four and wouldn't dare to move from there on. He was almost one hundred percent sure that it had been a dream. What Ron had said... just couldn't be true.

So he lay in silence, waiting for dawn... and that was a _long _time.

And during that long time, he thought about what he was supposed to do next. By the time the sun came up, he was kind of hoping that Hermione had been thinking as long as he had, because he had nothing.

He froze from not moving as soon as he heard Ron move. The time it took Ron to get dressed seemed like an eternity.

Dear god, what had he been thinking?

But that was the only question he knew how to answer.

He had been thinking about Ginny _Weasley_, the girl he had been having feelings about since... he wasn't quite sure since when, exactly, but he knew that it had hit him hard, and wouldn't let him sleep at night. He was led to wonder if it was the same for Hermione. And that just reminded him of the situation he was in.

The door closing gently surprised him, which was just stupid. It was the slammed doors that were supposed to scare you. If Ron was holding out this long, he wondered when he would finally explode. In a way, he wished it would happen now, so the dreading would finally stop.

He waited five minutes before getting out of bed, just in case. He was probably being a coward; Ron had seemed OK about it. But he hadn't seen his face. Nope, he was still terrified.

When he got down to the common room, he found Hermione, who immediately stood up as he entered, only for them to endure a while of more awkward silence. When Seamus walked past, they both pretended to be doing something else. Hermione looked out of the window, watching him go past, and Harry pretended to tie his shoelace. Seamus made his way out, feeling completly confused and as if he were interrupting something... were the rumors true?

"Um... see you at breakfast, Harry," he said, feeling like he should say something.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be down in a minute," Harry answered, not looking away from his shoelace, which he had successfully untied.

"Are we really going to do this?" he suddenly asked as soon as Seamus was gone and he had tied his shoelace again.

They heard Seamus' voice through the corridors. "Hey, yeah... I think that it's true. Harry and Hermione might just be together..."

The both looked at each other, cringing.

"I'd say no..." Hermione said, "but I think we are." She made a face.

He nodded.

"I think so too. So... what's next? Because Ron is kind of freaking me out."

"Why? Did he do anything to you?" She was next to him in seconds, moving his head from side to side with her hands. "Are you hurt? Because that would be terrible. And we'd have to stop, right now." Harry took her hands away from his face.

"No, Hermione, I'm fine. What's freaking me out is... he told me to go for it."

Hermione paused to think.

"What?" she finally said.

"I don't know. I was kind of expecting him to attack me," he said truthfully. He knew that there were barely any secrets between him and Hermione. She made another face.

"I was kind of expecting that too, I barely got any sleep at all - so, what do you have first thing?" she asked casually, as she watched Lavender walk past them. She snorted at them, and Harry could tell that Hermione herself was fighting the desire to attack her.

"Maybe we should just go down to breakfast," Harry said, as Lavender left, thank god. He could feel the heat radiating off of Hermione at an alarming rate. And all the standing around suspiciously was nerve-wrecking. "Play along. Make it up as we go along."

"Oh, Harry, that sounds like a terrible idea."

"Do you have a better one?"

She sighed.

"No, I guess not."

"Alright then. Let's do this."

"Let's do this," Hermione agreed. It seemed like she was working her way up towards it, breathing in heavily and all. Harry felt sorry for her, and he wished that he could put a stop to it; but, in the words of an imaginary Ron in the back of his head, he was acting "like a selfish git", and couldn't help it. The only thing he really cared about was that this might help him get Ginny.

Wow, he was acting like a selfish git.

As they got out of the common room, Harry tentatively put his arm around Hermione, after she kicked him subtly.

"Ow, OK," he had muttered. Hermione smiled at many passing girls, red with envy, beaming.

"Being your girlfriend could have it's privileges; not that I need them of course," she added hastily.

"Sure, whatever." Harry didn't want to think that Hermione was saying things like that. Though he knew that she didn't mean it... though that could be true.

By the time they had reached the Great Hall, Harry was already trying to find away to make this some sort of misunderstanding that had made Ron think that - but when he saw Ginny and Dean, Dean and Ginny, laughing, all happy and carefree, his plans were erased. They both lingered at the entrance, wondering where to sit. But Ron looked up and, to both of their surprise, patted the place next to him.

Harry looked at Hermione. Hermione looked at Harry. They both looked at Ron. He gave them both an 'it's OK' look, which was hard to ignore. They slowly made their way up to where Ron was sitting, and sat down, both ready to run at any moment.

He watched them.

"What's up?" he asked them, but then tilted his head and swallowed. "I mean, apart from you being together and all. How did that happen?" he asked casually, munching on a piece of toast.

Harry frowned. "What happen - ow! Um, yeah." He scratched his head. "I don't really know-"

He also didn't like the ratio of times that Hermione was kicking him.

"Harry was just there for me when I needed someone," Hermione interrupted. Harry looked at her, amazed. How could she act so... normal? "It just... happened. I cried on his shoulder a while, and then one thing led to another-"

"And that's it!" Harry cut in, putting his arm around Hermione and bringing her close, . "_You might be overdoing it_," he hissed through a false smile, meant only for her ears.

"Oh, no, it's fine," Ron said, waving his hand. "What kind of friend would I be if I hated my two best friends for hookin' up?"

"_Hooking up_?" Harry repeated. Ron shrugged.

"Sure, whatever. I just hope that you two feel as happy as me and Lavender," he said, taking another munch of a piece of toast. "You know what? I've lost my appetite." And then he was gone.

Harry and Hermione's mouths were left hanging open. And then Harry noticed that his arm was still around Hermione, and he quickly removed it. Besides, he couldn't eat with his arm around her.

He was actually going to live to eat. Breakfast.

This wasn't good. Though it wasn't bad... it was better than what he had been expecting.

"I'll be back in a minute," he whispered in Hermione's ear, who nodded and smiled at him, and then at Ginny, who was a few seats down the table. The look on her face was... indescribable, to say the least. And then she suddenly grew red, and stabbed the table ferociously with her fork.

"Oh," Hermione whispered to herself, quickly picking up the newspaper Ron had been looking at, pretending to read it, while conveniently blocking her face from Ginny's view.

Ginny looked at what she had done, frowned and looked around. Dean was staring at her. Along with everybody sitting around her.

"Hah!" she laughed nervously. "Uh... spider. But I killed it." Everyone looked away, apart from Dean, who was just looking scared.

Harry made his way out of the Great Hall, missing this; his purpose being finding Ron. What exactly was he going to say to him? He had no idea.

He found Ron within seconds... he was throwing rocks onto the grass from inside. Harry made a face as he approached, watching one of said rocks hit a Slytherin.

"Yeah, we've all got problems," Ron spat as the Slytherin threatened him with insults Harry had never heard before, but just knew that they were bad.

"Um... hey Ron?" he managed, making it sound like a question. Ron jumped.

"Harry," he then said simply. All he did was acknowledge his presence... not good. Even though his head was screaming at him not to take another step, he lent beside him. "Stupid Slytherins," Ron muttered once Harry joined him.

"Um, yeah, they can be that way." He gulped. "I bet you wish that you could throw that rock at me," He said.

"What?" Ron seemed surprised. "No... why?"

Harry raised his eyebrows at him.

"Oh... right," Ron said, feigning just to have got it. Harry noticed. "No. Listen. You're my mate. She's my mate. I can't complain," he shrugged. "She snogged Krum. So she's found out someone wants to snog me too. Well, it's a free country. I haven't done anything wrong. I mean, _you _haven't done anything wrong," he corrected. "And if you want to snog her, it's fine by me-"

"Oh, no, I don't want to snog Herm- hurt your feelings," he quickly changed what he was saying, wondering if Ron had spotted that, while cursing himself. But it seemed like he hadn't.

"Hurt my feelings?" He scoffed. "It's not my feelings that are hurt. It's these bloody scratches on my arms. Stupid birds. And no, I haven't forgiven her for that one yet. She's lucky that I listened to a word she said."

Harry waited for Ron to keep on talking, but Ron was quiet. He went back to throwing stones (now at the Slytherins). Harry heard his stomach rumble.

"I'm going to go back to breakfast-"

"Have a nice time."

"Um... yeah. You might want to stop that though... you could get detention."

"I don't really care," Ron sighed. He threw another one. Harry was resorted to backing away; slowly.

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I wasn't exactly sure about this chapter... Could you all review again? It made my day!


	3. The Unbreakable Vow Part 1

Yay! Loads more Reviews + Alerts! Wow, I should write Harry Potter fic more often, lol

AN- The first part of the chapter The Unbreakable Vow, but in this alternate universe. And different. OK, the real chapter is just a vague guideline.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!

:)

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_Snow was swirling against the icy windows once more; Christmas was approaching fast. Hagrid had already singlehandedly delivered the usual twelve Christmas trees to the Great Hall; garlands of holly and tinsel had been twisted around the banisters of the stairs; everlasting candles glowed from inside the helmets of suits of armor and great bunches of mistletoe had been hung at intervals along the corridors. Large groups of girls tended to converge underneath the mistletoe bunches every time Harry went past, which caused blockages in the corridors; fortunately, however, Harry's frequent nighttime wanderings had given him an unusually good knowledge of the castle's secret passageways, so that he was often, without too much difficulty, to navigate mistletoe-free routes between classes._

The fact that he was dating Hermione Granger didn't seem to keep them at bay, which was kind of what he had been hoping for. Maybe it was due to the fact that Hermione's schedule was so full that Harry could only talk to her properly in the evenings. And those were always extremely awkward times; for Harry and Hermione, seemingly not for anyone else.

Harry told her about the girls and the mistletoe, and she suddenly put her head in her hands.

"What? We're not actually dating…" Hermione glared at him, surprised, and he realized his mistake. They were in the common room, surrounded by nearly the whole Gryffindor house. "I mean, we're not dating publicly," he corrected. He had started to become prone to frequent mistakes.

"I know. At our age, apparently we're not dating unless we're snogging all over the place."

There was an awkward pause. But Hermione broke it.

"This is ridiculous," she sighed, sitting back and staring into the fire. Harry could watch her fight hard to try and find a solution; his first idea was to stop immediately. He wasn't going to start snogging Hermione just to get to Ginny, who, by the way, seemed to disappear when Hermione approached. That would be extremely shallow. And besides… no. Just no. He watched Hermione think. And then her expression changed. She had thought of something.

"OK, just follow my lead," she whispered into his ear, slowly. They had been whispering into each other's ear a lot lately; it let everyone else guess what they liked, and they didn't really have to do anything but smile mischievously, which was what Hermione was doing now. If he hadn't known that it was fake, he wouldn't be fighting the urge to lean back, away. She eventually leant back, stood up, and took him by the hand. Together, they walked out of the common room, joined by hand. As soon as they were out, and around the corner, Hermione jumped.

"Yes! It worked! Did you see Ron's face?"

"I preferred to look away. This is really mean," he said pathetically. Hermione smiled crookedly.

"But…?"

"OK, I looked at Ginny. She seemed pretty bummed out," he admitted, trying to suppress a smile. But Hermione suddenly burst out in laughter, and he couldn't help but join.

"I can't believe how everyone just accepted it," she finally said as they started strolling down the corridor. "No one seemed in the least surprised. About you and I dating, I mean."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." He did. He put his hand on her arm. "Let's not go that way," he said.

Hermione laughed lightly. "Why?"

Harry made a face, and she understood.

"Oh! Mistletoe." She laughed again. "OK, sure. Which way then? You're the expert."

"There is a passageway through-" He was cut short by the sound of footsteps. Hermione suddenly went pale.

"Oh god, it's after hours!"

"Yeah, for the smartest which of our age you can be a bit of a-"

Hermione's patience ran out as they footsteps got louder. "Passageway, Harry!"

"Through here," he said, rushing her through. "Lumos," he whispered before as soon as he went in too. They stood there in silence, waiting for whoever it was to pass. But when whoever it was lingered, and they could hear the breathing, they non-verbally decided to walk down the passageway for a while.

"We can talk now," Harry said, stopping. "No one could hear us if they tried."

"Good. Because, Harry-" he saw the worry that had suddenly formed in her eyes, and knew that another speech was coming "you need to be careful."

"I'm not giving back that book, Hermione. The Half Blood Prince has taught me more than Slughorn or Snape ever did. And yes, Ron will kill me in my sleep, thanks for the concern."

"No! I wasn't talking about your so-called Prince, and Ginny will probably kill me too!" Though it was wrong, Harry couldn't help but feel slightly proud over this. She calmed down, the rage that had hit her disappearing. "I'm talking about… do you know Romilda Vane?" Harry shook his head, frowning. "Well," Hermione continued, "She seems to be the first not to except our relationship. She's trying to slip you a love potion."

Harry's mouth fell open. "What, really?"

"Wipe that stupid grin off of your face! It's not a laughing matter!"

"OK, OK," Harry said, forcing a serious face. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"All I'm trying to say is, be careful. Romilda Vane looks pretty scary," Hermione said with a grim expression. Harry suddenly got a bit annoyed.

"If you know so much, why didn't you confiscate them?"

"Because," Hermione said, annoyed, "she didn't have it with her in the girl's lavatory," she said as if it were obvious. "I wasn't thinking of using some myself. She was just discussing tactics with someone else. We're going to Slughorn's party together, I guess. Since Ron is snogging that horrible excuse for a girl every living second. He doesn't even talk to me anymore."

Harry suddenly realized that he had been under the odd impression that he would be going with Ginny. "Um, yeah, sure. Together. As in a date." He cringed as he remembered Slughorn, the morning after they had decided their plan. He had congratulated them in front of the whole class, so low profile hadn't been an option. And Ron's expression had been promising; but he had said nothing.

"I don't see why we don't date, really. Nobody else seems to mind, really," she sighed, and looked at her feet. Harry could see tears well up.

"You're kidding, right? Ron's holding it in for long, and I'm surprised."

Hermione smiled at him timidly. She had been looking to back out, Harry knew it. But, once again he was being a selfish git. It was Ginny he saw holding it in. Though, he was surprised at Ron's behavior. He had been incredibly calm about it really. But it seemed that the only way he could find to stop being a git himself was to completely ignore Hermione, which was pretty git-like anyways.

"Anyways, how are they getting the potions into the school?"

"It's part of Fred and George's delivery. They disguise the potions as cough potion… and don't give me that look! They told me about it in Diagon Alley."

"Whatever… but, they're getting stuff past Filch? Then, why couldn't Malfoy be able to-"

"Oh no, Harry. I'm not discussing this again. Maybe we should just get back to the common room."

"C'mon, it's very possible that-"

"Harry, I said no. Secrecy Sensors detect jinxes, curses, and concealment charms, don't they? They're used to find d ark magic and dark objects. They'd have picked up a powerful curse, like the one in the necklace, within seconds. But something that's just been put in the wrong bottle wouldn't ' register – anyways Love potions aren't dark _or_ dangerous."

"Easy for you to say." That got another laugh out of Hermione. She was smiling again. It was contagious.

But, by the time they were back at the common room, they got back to looking awkward.

"Goodnight." Hermione said simply, even though it was only seven. Harry was happy that she didn't give him another kiss on the cheek; he couldn't stand another glare from Ron, who was once again, in the corner with Lavender. Probably the reason for her departure.

"Hey, Harry."

Harry spun around at the sound of his name and saw Romilda Vane, smiling at him brightly.

"Oh. It's you," he said slowly, looking around desperately for Hermione; he was just in time to watch her bushy hair disappear up the girls' stairs. Romilda frowned at this, but then started smiling again.

"Fancy a gillywater?" she asked him kindly, holding up a glass to him.

"No! I mean… that's very… kind of you, but, I um… I'm not thirsty."

Actually, he was. But not anymore.

"Well, take these anyways. I don't really want them, but my Gran sent them to me, so…"

"OK. Sure. Whatever," he said, using this as an opportunity to say goodbye, his voice trailing away. He had suddenly become distracted. He watched Ginny and Dean in the corner, and felt like his heart was being ripped out. All the doubts about 'the plan' he had been having lately disappeared, and he understood what had led him to it in the first place.

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Please review! Tell me what you think! The fact that loads of people (compared to normal) are reading this makes me more nervous and self conscious about what I publish! Next chapter's already half done, and it's more 'my story centered'.


	4. The Unbreakable Vow Part 2

I was happier about this chapter, so... please review! I 3 reviews! They make my day!

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That night, Harry went to bed thinking happily that there was only one more day of classes, Slughorn's party and then the Burrow for the holidays. But the possibilities of Ron and Hermione becoming friends again (or more) before Christmas were slim. And Harry dreaded the alone time with Ron.

It wasn't the three of them anymore, but that wasn't Harry and Hermione's fault. It was more Ron and Lavender's fault, though Hermione always insisted on Lavender first. So Harry had been spending more time with 'his girlfriend' than with Ron or, to his dismay, Ginny.

"I heard her talking to a friend; she says that it's not going very well with Dean," Hermione told Harry smugly. This lifted his spirits a serious amount, and he only wished he could do the same for Hermione. But, in his and Ron's before-bed-chats, Hermione was never a main subject. "And her friend said something like: maybe it's because you spend most of your time thinking about someone else." She punched him playfully, and he smiled at her. They both laughed.

Ron, who was just entering the common room, decided that maybe he could come back later.

A few days later, in the Great Hall, Harry sat by Ron for a change. Hermione wasn't there yet, and it wasn't like he and Ron were fighting... even though their communication had been slim.

"Hey Ron," he greeted, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Hey, Harry." He paused. "Have you um... seen Hermione?"

Harry's heart started to beat faster. For Hermione, not for him.

"I think she was somewhere around here... why?" Once again, he tried to sound casual.

Ron went red. "No reason."

Harry sighed and helped himself to some lunch.

"What was that?" Ron asked, curious. Harry frowned.

"What was what?"

Ron sighed. "The sigh."

"Did I sigh?"

"You did."

"Oh..." He shrugged. Wow. He was going to blow their cover. And Ron would be pissed.

"What is it?" he pressed on.

OK, Harry, think. "It's just..." he gulped at Ron's face. "It's just... you and Hermione. You don't talk anymore, and our relationship is seeming... strained."

"_Strained_?" Ron suddenly turned a brighter red. "Maybe if you weren't hogging her the whole time-"

"I'm not _hogging _her, Ron. You completely ignore her, you act as if she weren't here. And it has nothing to do with us... dating." Those words were definitely strained. Ron made a noise that sounded like: puft. Harry decided to keep on going... if he dared. He dared. "Maybe if you'd just apologize-"

"For what? She sent those bloody birds at me, I didn't ask for them." Oh no, he was getting incredibly close to boiling point. But...

"She was upset," he defended. "And you made fun of her in Transfiguration."

"She laughed at my eyebrow."

"So did I, it was the stupidest thing I've ever seen."

Ron looked guilty, but quickly changed, and looked angry. _Oh no_, Harry thought. "She hasn't been upset around you, has she? You're bloody perfect for each other."

"Listen, Ron-" But Ron wasn't listening anymore. Lavender approached with Pavarti at her tail, and squeezed between Ron and Harry, wrapping her arms around the former.

"Hi, Harry," Pavarti greeted, looking embarrassed, as Harry, about her friends behavior.

"Hi, Pavarti. How're you? You're staying at Hogwarts, then? I heard your parents wanted you to leave."

"I managed to talk them out of it for the time being," said Parvati. "Oh, hi, Hermione." Her voice was bright; Harry knew that she was feeling guilty at laughing at Hermione in Transfiguration.

"Hey Pavarti," Hermione said rather loudly, coming to stand besides them, beaming back at her and completely ignoring Ron and Lavender. Harry frowned. Girls were strange sometimes. "Are you going to Slughorn's party tonight?"

"No, no invite," Pavarti answered gloomily. "You're going, right?"

"Yes. Me and Harry are going together, what with the dating and all, aren't we?"

"Um, yeah," Harry said, managing a smile. Hermione smiled back, in a none-Hermione pose.

There was a noise like a plunger being withdrawn from a blocked sink, and Ron surfaced. Hermione acted as though she had not seen or heard anything. Pavarti didn't seem as interested as the other girls in the hall. She had been there, done that.

"You two are perfect for each other," she said anyways, encouragingly.

Harry started to cringe away from Lavender; he was sure that Ron could make it at him within seconds. Hermione ruffled Harry's hair, which was something Harry didn't enjoy.

"I know, right?" Hermione answered. "I've always thought so." Harry's mouth fell open, but he closed it quickly. What did girls do to get revenge? He reminded himself never to get into a fight with a girl. Ever.

"You like Quidditch players, don't you?" Pavarti asked, giggling. "First Krum, now Harry..."

"Oh yes. I only like _really good _Quidditch players," Hermione corrected. Harry shifted uncomfortably. In fact, he had never felt more uncomfortable in his life.

"Well, I've got to go and get ready for the party. See you at eight, Harry." And she left. Harry made a face, and didn't dare look at Ron. He moved for Pavarti to sit between him and Lavender (and Ron). The girls put their heads together and Harry just knew that they were talking about him.

After that, he picked at his food, and left about five minutes later. He couldn't leave with Hermione. He wanted to avoid all topic with her right now.

When he arrived back at the entrance hall at eight o'clock that night, he found an unusually large number of girls lurking there, all of whom seemed to be staring at Hermione with evil glares, as if they were hoping to burn holes in her back. But she approached him confidently, wearing an outfit similar to the one she wore in their fourth year, but her hair still bushy.

She greeted him with an innocent kiss on the cheek.

"Let's," he coughed, knowing that many people were waiting to hear what he had to say. "You look great," he said honestly, knowing that besides her he'd probably look as dashing as Lupin (no offense intended).

"Thank you." She smiled sweetly.

"Let's go," he said once more, and he held his arm, which she took gracefully.

_Whether it had been built that way, or because he had used magical trickery to make it so, Slughorn's office was much larger than the usual teacher's study. The ceiling and walls had been draped with emerald, crimson, and gold hangings, so that it looked as though they were all inside a vast tent. The room was crowded and stuffy and bathed in the red light cast by an ornate golden lamp dangling from the center of the ceiling in which real fairies were fluttering, each a brilliant speck of light. Loud singing accompanied by what sounded like mandolins issued from a distant corner; a haze of pipe smoke hung over several elderly warlocks deep in conversation, and a number of house-elves were negotiating their way squeakily through the forest of knees, obscured by the heavy silver platters of food they were bearing, so that they looked like little roving tables._

"Oh dear," Hermione gasped. Harry squinted to see the problem. And then he sighed.

"Hermione, I'm telling you, they _like _the work."

"They don't know what they like, they just want to please other people. They don't care about themselves-"

"Yeah, they're perfect. C'mon Hermione, it's Christmas. They're happy, so just let them be."

Hermione made a noise, but resigned. "OK," she accepted with a deep breath.

"Harry, m'boy!" Slughorn beamed. "Miss Granger!" He took both their shoulders with his hands, and looked upon them. "A regular James and Lily," he said, as they both cringed and exchanged glances. "The cocky, dashing young man," Harry squirmed, "and the level-headed, bright young muggle born." Hermione went a deep shade of red, but Harry wasn't sure if it were out of anger of being flattered. "But, I'm probably overdoing it, you're still young, have your lives ahead of you!"

"Easy for you to say," Harry mumbled, thinking of the Prophecy.

"What was that my dear boy? Never mind, never mind, there are many people I'd like you to meet!" And he grabbed Harry's arm tightly, let go of Hermione and they were dragged off into the crowd. Harry looked with despair behind him, loosing sight of his date.

At one point, he escaped, and ran right into... Ginny.

"Hi Harry," she said.

"Um... hey Ginny," he answered.

She nodded. "So... you and Hermione. Is that real...?" she asked.

Harry was about to answer no, but he got his sense back, thinking of how Ron would murder him if he ever found out that it was a trick.

"Yeah, sure," he stuttered. Ginny smirked. "What?"

"Well... come on. You're not exactly... committed."

"What - what's that supposed to mean?"

"Harry. My brother's doing more snogging than you. Which leads me to believe that you're helping her make a certain person jealous."

Harry avoided that one. "Just because we don't do it publicly-"

"So there's snogging?"

"Well, yeah... sure," he said, cringing, but, by the time he had finished stuttering she was gone.

He ran towards as soon as he saw her bushy hair once more.

"Harry! Thank God! Stand next to me, here," she dragged him to stand beside her, with a touch of urgency.

"What happened to you?" Harry asked incredulously, observing her appearance.

"I left Cormac under the mistletoe! He's stalking me, I swear! And I believe that he's slightly drunk."

"Hey Granger!"

"Oh dear," she said once more. Cormac came into view.

"It's your hair, it's so bushy," Harry observed, flicking it around.

"Stop that!" Hermione slapped his hand. Cormac came and stood next to her, and she crossed her arms.

"Oh, oh, oh! Trouble in paradise! How's it goin' Harry?"

"Cormac," Harry said simply.

"Hey! You guys are dating, right?" he asked.

Harry frowned. "You just said, _trouble in paradise_, which implies that you already knew about it."

"Oh, right. I forgot."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"So... how official is it? Have you made out?"

Hermione pulled a face. "I can assure you that that's none of your business!" she scolded. Cormac backed away, playfully.

"Oh!" he said.

"Oaf," Hermione muttered.

Trelawney bumped into her ungracefully. Hermione spilled her butter beer.

"Oh dear!" she exclaimed, looking down at her dress. But, muttering a few words, it disappeared. Trelawney watched her.

"Hey, Glasses!" Cormac greeted. Harry frowned. "Trelawney. These two are dating!" he told her. This time, Trelawney frowned.

"No they're not," she said.

Cormac raised his eyebrows.

"S'what they told me."

"Yes, they did."

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances.

Cormac looked confused. But then he didn't. "Oh, I get it. Not very convincing at all, are they?"

"I'd say they're very so..." Trelawney gazed into Harry's eyes, her magnified eyes making him take a step back. Cormac shrugged.

"I'd like to see a smooch," he said. Hermione looked panicked.

"They can't do that..." Trelawney said, but within seconds she was devoured once more by the crowd.

"What?"

"C'mon. Where's the love? I know, Potter! Let's fight for her."

"That's really not necessary," Harry assured him.

"It's not," Hermione agreed, grabbing onto Harry's arm.

"Well it certainly seems so."

Harry and Hermione backed away. And then Cormac let out an oafish grin pointing at the ceiling above them.

"Mistletoe! You lose Granger!"

"What? No!" she winced and hid behind Harry.

"What's going on here?" Slughorn's voice boomed. Harry thanked him secretly. McLaggen was enormous. "Shoo, McLaggen. Is that alcohol I smell on your breath? Move along, move along - Harry!" He clapped loudly as if he had only just spotted him.

"Thank you sir, Cormac was-"

"You didn't stand up for your lady, did you?" he tut-tutted. "Not at all like James. But, no offence, my dear boy!"

"None taken," Harry answered non-convincingly between gritted teeth.

"Anyways, what I was trying to say was... it's Christmas? Where's your Christmas spirit? I'm sure that Miss Granger would like a taste, ey?"

Harry felt the warmth escape his body. "I... uh..."

"It's really not necessary, sir," Hermione cut in.

"Oh, come on! Mistletoe and everything!"

Harry cringed. "Is that alcohol I smell on your breath?" He tried.

"What if it is? Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss," he started chanting, nudging the person next to him to join in. "Kiss, kiss, kiss!" Everyone was suddenly chanted. "Come on! It's Christmas!" yelled someone.

Harry was backing away slowly.

But then, it happened again. Ginny stood in the crowd. She wasn't cheering. She was getting some 'Christmas spirit' of her own. He was going to run, but then she stared at him, and smirked.

He drew Hermione slowly towards him, and hesitated.

She muttered something inaudible over the riot, but she wasn't protesting. It sounded more like: "Oh, let's just get it over with." He didn't dare look into her eyes.

They both cringed as they went in for it.

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	5. A Very Frosty Christmas

This chapter's more Ron... I figured he should have a say in this, being my favorite character and all. He's been all neglected! Please review on your way out!

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Ron was playing Quidditch. He was the keeper, of course, but unsure at first. And then he heard her voice.

"Come on, Ron! You can do it!"

He looked over at the stands to see Hermione, beaming at him. He beamed back and made an impossible save without looking.

"Good job, Ron," Harry shouted amongst the cheers.

Ron smile brightly at his best mate, and got back in position.

"_Thanks to Ron Weasley's save, the best keeper in all time, the Gryffindor team has a grand total of one-hundred points!_"

Ron waved, and the crowd erupted once more. But Hermione waved, and she was the only face he could see.

"Go Ron!" she shouted to him.

The match was won once Ron had pointed out to Harry where the Snitch was.

"Wow, thanks Ron," he thanked him as he got carried away by Slytherins, who dunked him in the lake.

"No prob," Ron shouted as he was being carried around by the Gryffindors, who didn't seem to care about Harry.

"Weasley is our king," they chanted.

He was quite happy being carried around; Dumbledore stopped him.

"Hello Ronald, you are my new favorite student."

"That's not necessarry sir-"

"Of course it is!"

Ron now had a stupid grin on his face.

"Ronald Weasley, you have hear by passed my class!" McGonagall shouted at him, beaming. And then she and Dumbledore skipped away, holding hands.

"Ron, you are my favorite son!" Mrs Weasley told him.

"Weasley, I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you these past years, and I shall repay you by being your slave!" Malfoy shouted at him, already in a women's maid outfit. Ron laughed. And then someone tugged on his arm. It was Hermione. He descended immediately, and she hugged him tight.

"I'm so sorry for everything I have ever done to wrong you, and I am stupid for not realizing that it is you, not Harry, that I want to spend the rest of my life with. And yes, I will marry you!"

The crowd once more erupted in applause. Hermione lent in to kiss him, but Harry pushed her out of the way.

"_I want Ginny_," he said, his face blurring.

"Oh..." Ron observed. "This is a dream."

"_Please Ron. Please can I have her_."

People around them were starting to disappear, and Ron decided to make the most of it. It was _his _dream, after all. He put his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Listen, mate. You don't know what you're saying. It's a dream, see?"

Harry's face stayed blurred, and he still wouldn't move.

"Yeah, I'm disappointed to."

"_I want Ginny, I love her_."

"Sorry mate; Hermione chose me - wait... what?"

Ron woke up, but he had already forgotten the last seconds of his dream. He wiped the stupid grin off of his face and looked at his best friend guiltily. He lay back down in his bed, ready to sleep again; he wasn't planning on getting up in the morning, what else were the holidays for?

A warm fuzzy feeling came inside of him as he thought of his bed, and shook off his dreams. It wasn't right to dream about stuff like that, not about your best friend's girlfriend anyways. No matter who it was. Or how much he was in love with her.

"Ginny."

A grunt came from the bed put out for Harry. Ron shot up, and saw that Harry was in it.

"Ginny..." he repeated. Ron's heart stopped beating - was his best friend dreaming about his sister? "What the hell is a Hufflepuff?"

Oh. That made more sense. Harry spoke no more, and Ron was able to sleep.

"You can't break an unbreakable vow," Ron told Harry as they peeled sprouts for Mrs Weasley.

"I'd worked that much out for myself, funnily enough. What happens if you break it, then?"

"You die." Ron found it hard to believe that Snape had made an unbreakable vow to protect Malfoy, but he didn't say. Harry sussed him anyways. After a brief fight with Fred and George (whom seemed to be using their ability to use magic to torture Ron), Ron remembered the previous night. "Hey," he started. "What did you dream 'bout last night?" he asked casually.

"Hmm? I can't remember," Harry answered, untruthfully. "It can't have been anything important, like Voldemort-" Ron pulled a face at the use of the name "- or I would have remembered."

"Hmm..." Ron said. But now he felt guiltier; Harry's nightmares were Voldemort, and his own were being late for class. They both nodded to themselves in silence.

"Why do you ask?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Hmm? Oh. You just talked a bit. In your sleep."

Harry froze, but regained movement in no time.

"Really? What did I say?"

Ron hesitated. "Something about Gin - gin. And Hufflepuff."

"Hufflepuff and gin, huh? A recipe for disaster," he chuckled.

"Yeah..." Ron agreed, chuckling too, but unsure.

* * *

_Harry woke with a start to find a bulging stocking lying over the end of his bed. He put on his glasses and looked around; the tiny window was almost completely obscured with snow and, in front of it, Ron was sitting bolt upright in bed and examining what ap peared to be a thick gold chain._

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Its from Lavender," said Ron, sounding revolted, "She couldn't honestly think I'd wear ..."

Harry looked more closely and let out a shout of laughter; dangling from the chain in large gold letters were the words: "My sweetheart"

"Nice," he said. "Classy. You should definitely wear it in front of Fred and George."

"If you tell them," said Ron, shoving the necklace out of sight under his pillow, "I — I — I'll —"

"Stutter at me?" said Harry, grinning. "Come on, would I?"

"How could she think I'd like something like that, though?" Ron demanded of thin air, looking rather shocked.

"Well, think back," said Harry. "Have you ever let it slip that you'd like to go out in public with the words 'My Sweetheart' round your neck?"

"Well... we don't really talk much," said Ron. "It's mainly . . ."

"Snogging," said Harry.

"Well, yeah," said Ron. He hesitated a moment, and then said "What about you and Hermione?" he asked.

"Oh... we're the... um, opposite. Not much kissing at all. Close to nothing," Harry reassured him. He remembered how thankful he was to Malfoy (yes, grateful) from gate-crashing the party and giving Harry and opportunity to run before their lips had touched. He couldn't believe that just that morning he had been speculating over girls and revenge, when he was just as bad.

"What did she get you?"

"Oh, um..." Harry rummaged through his pile, hoping that she had forgotten. That would make this so much easier with Ron... but, there it was. _To Harry, from Hermione_. He regained his own breathing when he opened it and it was a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans and a book about... he didn't really care. Ron looked much more pleased now, and that was all he cared about.. He also got a parcel of maggots from Kreacher, which was greatly appreciated by Ron, though all Harry had to say about it was "I'd rather have them than that necklace", a sweater with a large Golden Snitch worked onto the front, hand-knitted by Mrs. Weasley and a large box of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products from the twins.

Ron, to his dismay, got nothing from Hermione, though he hadn't really been expecting anything. He cursed himself silently for being so stupid.

"What was that?" Harry asked, opening his treat from Hermione absentmindedly.

"Oh, nothing." Harry held the box out for Ron, but Ron turned it down. That was when Harry remembered who it was from and put it away after taking a handful.

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	6. Birthday Surprises Part 1

Yay! Thanks for all the comments and reviews! My goal, however, for before the next chapter, is 25 reviews, so... review. Because I'm not updating 'till you do!

Hehehe, slightly evil, I know.

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Harry's first week back at Hogwarts involved a private lesson from Dumbledore. And now, he had to find a way to get the rest of that memory from Slughorn. Ron, who was more friendly after the Christmas holidays, reckoned that it would be easy.

"He loves you," he said over breakfast, waving an airy forkful of fried egg. "Won't refuse you anything, will he? Not his little Potions Prince. Just hang back after class this afternoon and ask him."

Hermione, however, wasn't so optimistic.

"He must be determined to hide what really happened if Dumbledore couldn't get it out of him," she said in a low voice, as they stood in the deserted, snowy courtyard at break.

And at the mention of Ron, she stormed off. She had no idea of what Horcruxes were, and Harry couldn't help but feel disappointed

Potions lessons were uncomfortable enough these days, seeing as Harry, Ron and Hermione had to share a desk. Today, Hermione moved her cauldron around the table so that she was close to Ernie, and ignored both Harry and Ron.

"What've _you _done?" Ron muttered to Harry, looking at Hermione's haughty profile.

But before Harry could answer, Slughorn was calling for silence from the front of the room.

_This looks promising_, Ron couldn't help but think. He was sitting beside Harry with his mouth half-open, doodling absently on his new copy of _Advanced Potion-Making. _Ron kept forgetting that he could no longer rely on Hermione to help him out of trouble when he failed to grasp what was going on. Which sucked. He dared a look at her, which she returned; for two seconds. He then went back to sulking and doodling. But, she wasn't exactly gazing at Harry either; and Harry didn't seem to be _that _bothered. Harry himself was struggling to keep up on what Slughorn was saying.

When they had just started making what was supposed to be an antidote, Ron was awoken from his absent state as Hermione spoke to them; or rather, Harry.

"It's a shame that the Prince won't be able to help you much with this, Harry," Hermione reminded him brightly as she straightened up. "You have to understand the principles involved this time. No short cuts or cheats!"

Harry had to agree that she was right.

"You sure the Prince hasn't got any tips?" Ron muttered to Harry.

"Nothing," Harry said gloomily after scanning the antidote section in his copy of _Advanced Potion Making_.

But, by the end of the lesson, Harry had found a helpful note: _just shove a bezoar down their throats_. He remembered something Snape had said in their first lesson... _A stone taken from the stomach of a goat, which will protect from most poisons. _He just had to hope that the Half Blood Prince was right yet another time.

"You've got a nerve, boy!" Slughorn boomed, taking the bezoar and holding it up so that the class could see it. "Oh, you're like your mother, never mind your father," Harry shot a guilty look at Hermione, remembering the Christmas party. "... well, I can't fault you ... a bezoar would certainly act as an antidote to all these potions!"

"And you thought of a bezoar all by yourself, did you, Harry?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Ron noticed this, too. Though neither him or Hermione wished him luck as they left; they both looked rather annoyed.

* * *

Neither Ron nor Hermione was at all sympathetic when Harry told them of the disastrous interview. Which annoyed him slightly. Hermione was annoyed at him for beating her at potions yet once again, and Ron was pissed at the fact that Harry hadn't slipped him a bezoar too.

Harry couldn't care less though.

That night, lying in bed, Harry could just here Ron's brain whirring. He was going to ask him something. Harry knew as much. And he could guess what it was. But he decided to play dumb.

"Hey, Harry?"

Yup.

"Yeah?" Harry answered.

"How... is... are you going to try Slughorn again."

"Um… sure. Yeah, Dumbledore asked me to do it, so yeah."

"Good… good…" There was a silence.

"You sure you didn't want to ask me anything else?" Harry pressed.

"What? No. Nah, not really."

"Oh, OK." Screw the playing dumb. "'Cause I was under the impression that you were going to ask about me and Hermione, but…"

"No! Why would I do that? Pft. That doesn't make any sense. No, I don't really care…"

Harry waited.

"So, how are you guys?"

Harry withheld the desire to laugh.

"I don't know, Ron… Not that good, really."

Ron withheld the desire to shout out and do a little dance.

"Oh," he said, trying to keep his voice level. "That's too bad," he lied.

"Yeah…" Harry said, thankful that the darkness hid his smile. "So, how are you and Lavender?"

Ron groaned. "Please no, Harry. This is a happy place."

Harry feigned confusion. "A happy place? I just told you that me and Hermione-"

"I mean, this is a place in which I am at peace. She's doin' my head in, OK?"

"OK," Harry said, slightly smug and once again thankful for the darkness.

"Oh, and don't tell anyone about that," Ron added. Pause. "Especially not Hermione. Y'know, in case you did. Actually, I don't really care, so… yeah."

Right then was when Harry wanted to laugh harder than ever.

He had no idea of what his friend meant, but he answered anyways. "Sure," he said, his voice trembling with laughter. Ron didn't notice, thank god.

"Good," was his final word on the subject.

As soon as Harry heard Ron's first snore of the night, Harry fumbled around for his wand and cast Muffliato just so he could laugh out loud and in peace.

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	7. Birthday Surprises Part 2

OK, the last chapter was short, so I did a long one! Yay!

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Harry spent the next few days wondering what to do about Slughorn. He decided to leave it for a while, and hopefully Slughorn would forget, and Harry could have a chance to try again. And, though Slughorn certainly didn't change with Harry during class, he didn't throw any more parties, to Harry's dismay. He had asked Ginny and Hermione, and niether had heard anything.

He and Hermione were talking once more, and Harry couldn't help sense Ron's disappointment.

And talking, for Harry and Hermione, now meant holding hands and pecks on the cheeks every now and then.

But he hadn't told Hermione about his and Ron's conversation; it was kind of payback for her behavior after potions. And yes, it was childish.

Since Harry and Hermione were talking again and stronger than ever, Ron was once more in Lavender Brown's arms. Or mouth.

"Ugh, it's just disgusting," Hermione complained as she and Harry left for the library, where they spent most of their time together. "Other couples don't do it, it's not just us, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Harry said. He was rather happy about Dean and Ginny. They had been keeping their distances and hadn't been snogging nearly as much. Which just brightened Harry's day. Every day.

"I'm not just talking about Dean and Ginny, though. And yes, they have been hitting... a rough patch in their relationship," Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, I know," Harry repeated gleefully.

"Harry! Hermione!" They both spun around to find Ginny walking up to them.

"Um, hi, Ginny-" Harry stuttered. Hermione did her best to give him a jealous glare, and was rather proud of herself. She kicked him too, just in case.

"Hello, Ginny," she greeted. "What are you doing here? I mean, I'm not trying to be rude, but-"

"I was wondering if I could hang out with you guys," Ginny said. "It's just, Dean's being a jerk-" Harry's heart lept, "Luna is... I don't know where she is, she said that she was going to hunt wrakspurts or something, and my brother-" she made a face and flicked her red hair out of her eyes, and frowned. "Well, I wasn't going to hang out with him anyways. So... unless you're busy."

Hermione looked at Harry, unsure - she was sure that she could be a good actress, though. But she didn't think that there _were_ actresses in the wizarding world. And what would she want to be an actress for?, she had enough brains to find a respectable job elsewhere, and in the wizarding world. Being a witch was... amazing.

But now she was looking pleased with herself.

Ginny raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, sorry... I got lost in thought. Being magical is great, isn't it?" she asked the both of them, bringing out her wand.

Both Harry and Ginny looked at her, confused.

"Sorry," she said, putting her wand down, making the birds she had easily conjured disappear.

"Well, it seems that you two _are_ busy," Ginny said, frowning at Hermione. She continued to stop Harry from arguing, "So, do you mind if I ask you something?"

Harry shook his head, and Hermione said, "no, not at all."

"Good, because... I've been hearing a few rumors, and I wondered if they were true."

"Rumors about what?" Hermione asked, curious.

"Well... I heard Draco Malfoy saying that all of this," she pointed at Harry and Hermione, "was some sort of stupid plan you two cooked up."

"You heard _Malfoy_ say that?" Harry asked, surprised. He hadn't heard much from Malfoy all year. Well he certainly thought about him. Harry had had his own ideas over what Braco might be doing, and he found it hard to believe that - being a death eater, as Harry suspected - Draco would have time to spread rumors about Harry and Hermione, or even care about what they were doing.

"Well, actually it was Neville who told me - _he_ heard Malfoy say that. But I don't know." She paused. "Is it true?"

"Well..." Harry started.

"Not at all," Hermione cut in. "Me and Harry are together, I don't know what you might have heard," she said confidently, while Harry stuttered some more.

"Oh. OK. Whatever. Well, see you guys - talking about Neville, he was supposed to help me with my Herbology homework." She waved, and with another flick of her long ginger hair, she walked away.

Hermione looked at Harry.

Harry looked at her.

In the library, they discussed the improbabilities of that actually being true.

"I don't think Malfoy should care at all... Ginny probably made it up in an attempt to foil us. She is rather clever..."

"Yeah, she told me the theory at Slughorn's party..."

"Hey... pst!" Harry looked behind him and found Romilda, looking at him. Hermione gave him a knowing look, and pretended to be looking at the shelves. "Harry! Is it true?" Romilda whispered.

"Is what true?" Harry whispered back.

"Are you guys split?"

Harry dared a look at Hermione, who had paused what she was doing.

"Who told you that?" he asked, looking back at Romilda.

"Some fourth year..." she said simply. "Is it true?"

"No, it's not. Me and Hermione are together. You can tell your fourth year that, OK?" Harry said harshly.

"Well, it's not just her. The whole school is talking about it."

Harry froze. "Wait... what?"

"Yeah, they all said that they heard it from Malfoy," Romilda continued, eager to be the one to share gossip. "But he says that he said no such-"

They were silence by an angry Miss Pince. Harry turned back around, and Hermione sat back down next to him.

"That's just absurd!" Hermione finally said, slamming down a book.

"Did you hear-"

"Yes, but I'm rather annoyed at the fact that I can't find a single thing about Horcruxes! Not a single thing! I've been through the restricted section and through the most horrid books! They tell you how to brew the most _gruesome_ potions..."

"Hermione, I think that we should talk about the-"

"All I could find was this, in the introduction of _Magic Most Evil_ - listen - 'of the Horcrux, wickedest of magical inventions, we shall not speak nor give direction'... I mean, why mention it then?" she said impatiently, slamming the old book shut, which gave out a ghostly wail. "Oh, shut up!"

However, on the way back from the library, they ran into the one and only, Draco Malfoy.

Only then did Hermione seem interested in the full seriousness of the _other_ situation.

They looked at each other, separated and grabbed one of his arms each, steering him into an empty classroom, oblivious to his protests.

"Get your filthy hands off of me, you filthy little Mudbl-"

"Don't you dare, Malfoy," Harry said, threatening him with his own wand. Draco freed himself of their grip and spat on the floor.

"What the hell do you want? I'm busy."

Hermione saw his hand reaching for his wand.

"Expeliarmus," she hissed, so as not to draw attention to passers by. Malfoy growled at her. "We only want to ask you a simple question-"

"Which involved abducting me?"

"Shut it, Malfoy. We're not _abducting_ you." Harry rolled his eyes. "We just want to know if you spread the rumors-"

"Oh, that one." Malfoy laughed. "No, I didn't. I couldn't really care about you and your Mudblood girlfriend, I have more important things to think about-"

Harry just couldn't help himself. "Like what, Malfoy? Following in your father's footsteps?" Hermione winced.

"Not _that_, Harry."

Draco took a step towards Harry.

"Nice nose, Potter," he spat and glared at him. "I'm sure you needed help from your girlfriend to fix that one... and unless you want a replay, you're going to let me leave."

Harry was beginning to get annoyed. "Give me your best shot, Malfoy! You aren't nothing but a coward, attacking me when I couldn't do anything to protect myself."

"Oh, so you do want a replay?" Malfoy snarled, rolling up his sleeves.

"Stop it!" Hermione yelled, putting herself in front of them.

Malfoy glared at her. "What makes you think that I won't hurt _you_, Granger?"

"The fact that I have a wand and you don't," Hermione said fiercely, pointing her wand in Malfoy's face. Harry wondered if he was remembering three years ago, when Hermione had punched him. Hard.

It took much glaring, but Malfoy soon leant on the door to open it, and took his wand. Hermione's gaze never left him, and her wand never missed his face.

"Figures, Potter. Getting your girlfriend to do your dirty work," Malfoy sneered, and then he left.

Harry breathed out. "Thanks, Hermione-"

She swung round, pointing her wand at him. This time, he was the one to step back.

"What were you thinking?" She lowered her wand. "Don't do that again!"

"Do what?"

"Listen, I don't care about your suspicions about Malfoy being a Death Eater - I mean, I do - and that's the point. If he is, you could get in much more trouble than it's worth!"

"Wait - he rolled up his sleeves! Dammit, this could have been it, we could have had him!"

Hermione sighed. "Listen, Harry, leave it."

"You just said that I could get in more trouble than it's worth-"

"And I also said _if_, Harry."

She looked at him, her eyes starting to fill with tears.

"Hermione-" Harry started, not meaning to make her cry.

"Just don't get yourself killed over _Draco Malfoy," _she moaned.

"Come on, Hermione-"

She turned away, to hide her face.

"Wouldn't that be obnoxiously _stupid_? Survive the killing curse only to get yourself in deeper trouble by having a fight at school!" She reached the back wall and swung around, facing him.

"It was just once-"

"And don't tell me that if I hadn't been here you wouldn't have carried it out."

Harry was quiet.

"OK, Hermione. I'm sorry."

"It's not me you should be sorry for. Harry, you're my best friend. I couldn't stand loosing you."

Please review! This time I want 30 xD

And, sorry for the AVPM reference, I just can't help myself! :D See if you can spot it.


	8. Birthday Surprises Part 3

The fact that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had made out in an empty classroom quickly became well-known news all over Hogwarts.

"For it to be a fact it has to be actually true," Hermione reminded Harry over breakfast. She didn't seem as bothered about it as him, but it annoyed him to a serious degree. It just wasn't true. And he was also sure that that was the reason Ron had taken to ignoring him.

This time, however, it _was_ Malfoy's doing. When somebody had asked what he had been doing with Harry and Hermione, he had quickly been able to spin up something. Which Harry took to be more evidence that he was hiding something, not just the fact that he had been beaten, once more, by a girl.

"It was horrendous," he told anyone who had listened before he skulked back into disappearance. "I don't ever want to see anything like it again," he sneered.

But by the time it had reached the Gryffindor's ears, it had turned into a romantic evening, and they had graciously apologized to Malfoy and what-not. Which kind of annoyed Harry even more. Yeah, all the girls really needed an excuse to think he was even more perfect than they could have ever imagined. Hermione had actually became quite a target.

"Oh, Harry, I don't think I can take this anymore," Hermione told Harry as she sat in the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey fixing her broken ankle. A fifth year had cruelly put out her foot, sending Hermione to the floor. "How could they even think that taking me out will make you like them more?" she moaned. Harry didn't know what to say.

"All done, dear," Madam Pomfrey said, standing up. "This is the fourth time you've visited me this week, Granger! I'm going to need a bed with your name on it."

Hermione looked at Harry and moved her ankle, testing it. He watched her sympathetically.

"Girls are horrible!" Hermione complained as they left for the common room. "Oh, Harry, I'm not so sure about this anymore. It's been so long, and it doesn't really seem to be working." Harry had to agree. "Oh my god!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Four months! I can't believe it!"

Harry paused to think. "Four months what?"

"We've been dating four months."

Harry stopped walking, and then continued, with a "whoa."

As if it hadn't been bad before, Harry now had to follow Hermione everywhere she went.

In Charms, as she opened her ink bottle, the ink seemed to attack her.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry!" Harry tried, though she was the one that knew how to stop it. He was sorry... this was really his fault.

"Oh, never mind," Hermione sighed, tapping her robes, and did something that looked like sucking the ink back into her wand. Harry bent down onto the floor to pick up the books she had droppped. She caught Ron's gaze, and lingered there for a moment. They both waited for... something. And then Ron shrugged sympathetically.

Before Hermione could do anything more, Ron turned away. Harry was sitting back at her side, in between them, and stacking her books back up for her.

"I'm really sorry," he kept on repeating.

"Don't worry, it's not you..." she said as she cleaned her parchment. "Oh, a class' notes, ruined!"

Three girls were laughing meanly in the back. Hermione looked back to glare at them, whilst Harry turned red and kept to his books. Ron, however, shot the girls a dirty look, and they immediately stopped.

"Need any help over there, Granger?" Flitwick asked, two seconds too late.

"No, I'm fine," Hermione mumbled, though Harry could see that she was on the verge of tears.

Ron, on the other side of Harry, noticed too, but said nothing.

Though, at the end of class he waited back. Harry noticed, though kept on packing his things. Ron hadn't been talking to him lately... that much.

They got out of the classroom, Hermione anxious to leave Ron's side. But Harry lingered for a second...

"Um... guys?" Ron finally said. Lavender wasn't there, and now was his chance. Hermione noticed, to her surprise, that he said _guys_. Plural. Though she wasn't a guy, duh, she guessed that by _guys_ he meant her and Harry. "Listen," he started, looking at both Harry and Hermione. "I guess I've been kind of a git lately, and I was wondering if..." he stopped and scratched his head.

"You could stop being one?" Harry finished.

Ron just nodded.

Harry looked at Hermione, as if to ask for her opinion.

"OK, then," she said, agreeing. Ron's mouth broke into a smile.

"Really? Brilliant! I mean, that's great..." he said, hugging Harry, and then hesitating for a second before hugging Hermione too. Harry saw color rise to her face, and he smirked. Ron didn't realize... there were many things he didn't realize. Like the fact that his shoelaces were untied. "I mean, I've been a rather crappy friend, and as your friend I should be there to beat the crap out of anyone who does anything to you." Harry noticed that Ron was speaking directly to Hermione, ignoring Harry, and not seeming to realize. They looked at each other for a moment, and Harry was starting to feel a bit awkward. Until Ron shrugged and said, "Or at least stand menacingly in the background," while backing away and grinning at Harry. Harry grinned back.  
"I mean, I miss us sitting round the fire and all, planning stuff. And Lavender is..." he stopped.

"Doing your head in?" Harry suggested. Ron went slightly red.

"Well... yeah. Hey, you know what I said about planning-"

"To keep our lives?" Hermione snapped, but Ron ignored her.

"You know, maybe you guys could give me some tips on how to - oh god, here she comes."

And Ron was gone.

Harry looked at Hermione, who looked back and then turned red.

"Oh, shut up!" she said playfully, marching away, hiding a smile with her books.

Which left Harry alone, to realize that Hermione and Ron were finally moving forward... what about he and Ginny?

Normally, when he thought about her, he would see her bright red hair, dancing through the crowd, so he looked around eagerly. But there was no sign of her. There was, however, Luna.

"Hey, Luna!" he greeted. "It's been a while."

"Oh, yes, it has," Luna agreed as the crowd of rustling students died down. Harry waited... now it was just uncomfortable. He forgot that with Luna, there was no _hi_. It had to be a long conversation. But she stopped the awkward silence with an invitation to roam the grounds. "I have a free period," she explained.

Harry did too, and since there was no alternative, he joined her.

"Ginny has been awfully sad, you know," Luna told him.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Harry said truthfully. "I know that Dean and her have been hitting a rough patch-" he said, copying Hermione's words.

"Oh, it has nothing to do with that..." Luna said in her usual dreamy voice, and then she looked at him. Once again, Harry began to feel uncomfortable. Her eyes were searching him, and he wondered if he had something on his face, though she would probably tell him. She had a knack for always telling the truth, no matter how uncomfortable or how strange it might be. "She doesn't like to see you and Hermione... she leaves the room. I see that you do too..."

Harry shifted his wait, uncomfortable.

"No need to fret, I won't tell a soul," Luna smiled, her voice still dozy.

"Um..." Harry knew that he shouldn't, but he did anyways. "What won't you tell?"

"That you like Ginny, of course."

Dammit. She had worked it out. Though maybe it wasn't because she was such a good observer... maybe it was because she was the only one who dared to say it out loud.

"Is it um... is it obvious?"

"Oh, no, not at all," Luna smiled. "I'm just rather good at reading people, you see."

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"I also can tell that Hermione likes Ron, too," she said as she sat down. They had reached the lake. She looked up at him and patted the ground next to her, inviting him to take a seat. Harry hesitated before joining her. "What I don't see is... why aren't you both with who you want to be?"

"Oh..." He wondered that himself. "I don't... really know," he grinned. "It's... complicated."

"It doesn't have to be. Not really. You think that it is... but it isn't." She started bringing things out of her bag, which seemed to be oddly shaped small musical instruments. The only thing that Harry could think of was that she was planning on forming a rather small concert. She spun the top of one that looked like a fan, and watched it for a while, while Harry thought.

"I think it is..." he said. "I mean, she's Ron's sister, which just makes it all more..."

"Complicated?" she suggested, and then smiled. Harry smiled back.

"OK, OK... I'll try. Will that make you happy?" he asked.

"Oh, not me." She looked at him once more. "You," she corrected.

Harry walked back to the common room, thinking. But he came up blank. All that would comfort him was that he said that he would try... he hadn't said when.

Well, on the bright side, Ron and Hermione were friends again.

"Ronald! Stop that right now!"

Well, that was certainly too soon.

"What?"

"You're a prefect! Confiscating it does not mean that you can use it for your own personal amusement!" she snapped.

"Alright, alright!"

Harry decided to wait a few seconds before turning the corner. It was a good thing he had.

"Listen, 'Mione, I'm sorry about how I've treated you guys these past months-"

"Four. Four months. Four months you didn't talk to me, or even look at me!"

"Wait a second - as if you even tried to! You can't act as if this was _my_ fault!"

"But it was!"

"You sent birds after _me_!"

"Oh, _me_, _my_! You still can't think of anyone else but yourself, can you?"

"You can't know that! I've been feeling like crap ever since - and I can't sleep properly at night since -"

There was a silence.

"Ever since when?"

Ron ignored the question.

"Listen, 'Mione, I'm sorry. For being a git, whatever, you name it."

There was another silence, and for an awkward moment, Harry wondered if they were kissing.

"This is just you clearing your conscience," Hermione's voice finally said. "So you can sleep better at night," she snapped. "Maybe Lav-Lav could help you."

Harry stayed still as Hermione rushed past him, not even stopping in surprise, or even noting his presence at all.

"I don't call her that..." Harry heard Ron mumble in vain. He knew that his friend wasn't moving, so he waited for Hermione's footsteps to die down.

Then he finally walked around the corner. As soon as Ron noticed he was there, he pretended to do something, which was stare at the Apparation Class' flier on the wall.

"Hey, Ron," Harry greeted.

"Hey, Harry."

Another pause.

"I've figured something out -" Ron started. "Women are mental."

Harry couldn't help but nod in agreement.

* * *

Sorry this one took a bit longer, but... please review! :DDD


	9. Birthday Surprises Part 4

Another relativley long chapter for my favorite part in the book and movie :D Guessed which it is?

* * *

Hermione heard the last comment, and she wished that she could say that she didn't care. She was not… mental. She was just… difficult. Which didn't help, not really. Ron had been right there, apologizing, something she had been waiting for since… but he still couldn't admit it. Which annoyed her to a certain degree.

It seemed as if he was just making up with her to clear his conscience, and she didn't want it to be like that.

Though by the time she had her books out, a tear fell onto one of the pages, and she lay down on her bed in desperation, cursing herself, throwing her books to the floor. Thank god her dorm mates weren't there, they might just think that the level-headed Hermione Granger had gone quite mad.

With February came the first Apparition Lesson, which was scheduled for a Saturday morning so that no normal lessons would be missed. It took place in the Great Hall, and Harry and Hermione came down together, whilst Lavender came down with a reluctant Ron.

The lesson brought nothing more interesting than Susan Bones splinching, and Harry finding out that Crabbe and Goyle were being lookouts for Malfoy. There for, Harry vowed to keep an eye on him from then on, bringing out his map every now and then, despite Ron's protests that he was barking mad. But in the weeks that followed, all Harry discovered was that Malfoy seemed to disappear from the map, and that Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle appeared to be going there separate ways when they were usually inseparable; these things happed as people got older – Ron and Hermione, Harry reflected, were living proof.

Sure, they had returned to hanging out together, and sure, Ron stuck up for Hermione with every prank that got thrown her way, but Hermoine didn't exactly seem grateful, and barely spoke to Ron at all.

"Bloody ungrateful, that's what that is," Ron told Harry.

As March approached, to general indignation, a sign went up in the common room noticeboards that the next trip to Hogsmeade had been cancelled. Ron was furious.

"It was on my birthday!" he said. "I was looking forward to that!"

"Not a big surprise though, is it?" said Hermione. "Not after what happened to Katie."

She still hadn't returned from Saint Mungo's. What was more, further disappearances had been reported in the Daily Prophet, including several relatives of students at Hogwarts.

"But now all I've got to look forward to is stupid Apparition!" said Ron grumpily, not noticing that Hermione had half-spoken to him. "Big Birthday treat…"

Three lessons on, Apparition was proving as difficult as ever, though a few more people had managed to Splinch themselves.

"Happy birthday, Ron," Harry said, when they were woken on the first of March by Seamus and Dean leaving noisily for breakfast. "Have a present."

"Cheers," said Ron, still tired, as he ripped off the paper. "Oh, nice one, Harry!" said Ron enthusiastically, waving the new pair of Keeper's gloves Harry had given him. "Seriously good haul this year!" he announced, holding up a heavy gold watch with odd symbols round the edge and tiny moving stars instead of hands.

Harry wasn't really paying attention; he was too busy watching Malfoy.

"Want one?" Ron asked him, holding up a packet of Chocolate Cauldrons.

"No thanks," said Harry, looking up. "Malfoy's gone again!"

"Can't have done. Come on, if you don't hurry up you'll have to Apparate on an empty stomach… might make it easier, I suppose…"

Harry stopped looking at the map, tapped it with his wand, muttered, "Mischief managed," though it hadn't been and got dressed, thinking hard about how he could find out where Malfoy had gotten to.

"Ready?" he said to Ron.

But it was halfway to the dormitory door when he realized that Ron had not moved.

"Ron?" he said. His friend was staring out of the window, a strange expression on his face. "Breakfast," he said, knowing that food always put Ron in a better mood.

"I'm not hungry."

Harry stared. He had never heard Ron say that before.

"I though you said-"

"Well, all right. I'll come down with you. But I don't want to eat."

Harry tried to make sense of this. "You've just eaten half a box of Chocolate Cauldrons, haven't you?"

"It's not that." Ron sighed. Harry frowned at him. "You… you just wouldn't understand."

Harry shrugged. "Fair enough." He turned to open the door.

"Harry!" said Ron suddenly. Harry jumped and let go of the handle.

"What?" he asked, even more confused than ever.

"Harry, I can't stand it!"

Harry started to add things together. Was he talking about him and Hermione? Was he finally going to give Harry what he deserved?

"You can't stand what?" Harry asked tentatively.

"I can't stop thinking about her!"

Oh god.

"What… why does that stop you from having breakfast?"

"I don't think she knows I exist, Harry," Ron said.

"Ron, she hit you over the head with a book just yesterday," Harry recalled. "She definitely knows that you exist. And I kind of think she's pissed."

Ron gasped. "Why? What did I do?"

"Well…" Harry frowned, wondering if he should care to refresh Ron's memory. But he did anyways. "She invited you to Slughorn's party, and believed that it was a… you know, a date. But then you threw it in her face by snogging Lavender. And now… now she's pretending to date me to wake you up."

Ron blinked.

"Who are you talking about?"

Oh no…

"I – who are _you_ talking about?" Harry flinched.

"Romilda Vane," Ron said softly, and his whole face seemed to illuminate as he said this, as though hit by a ray of purest sunshine.

"Oh no…" Harry said out loud, though it was too late. He had said it. If only he knew how to cast obliviate…

"I think… I think I love her, Harry."

"Romilda Vane," Harry clarified. "Not… a certain bushy haired friend of ours?"

Ron screwed up his face, not understanding.

"OK… say it again with a straight face."

"I love her," Ron repeated breathlessly. "Have you seen _her_ hair? It's all black, and shiny, and silky… and her eyes? Her big dark eyes? And her-"

"OK, whatever. This is funny and everything… but jokes over…" Harry said, hoping to joke his way out of it. He turned to open the door, when something hit him on the right ear.

"Ow!" He reacted instinctively; Ron was going to attack again. "_Levicorpus_!" Ron yelled as he was yanked into the air. "What was that for?" Harry bellowed.

"I heard shouting, not that I care of course –" The door opened, and Hermione stood in the doorway.

"What's going on in -?"

"He insulted her, Harry did! He said it was a joke!" shouted Ron, who was starting to turn purple.

Hermione stared, confused.

"Insulted-?"

"I love her!" Ron said to Harry. Hermione stopped breathing, but Harry shook his head quickly.

"He says that he's in love with Romilda Vane," Harry breathed, looking at Hermione. "I don't know what's gotten into–"

And then he saw the box lying open on Ron's bed. Hermione spotted them too, and remembered what Harry had told her.

"Oh, Ron! Those weren't a birthday present!" she exclaimed before Harry could say a thing.

"I got them before Christmas, from Romilda!" Harry continued. "They're spiked with love potion!"

But only one word seemed to register with Ron.

"Romilda?" Ron said in his dreamy voice once again. "Did you say Romilda? Harry – do you know her? Can you introduce me? Do you know her?" he tried Hermione too. This time, she was the one shaking her head.

Harry stared at Ron, who suddenly looked tremendously hopeful. And then he had to fight the strong desire to laugh. He looked at Hermione, grinning, but she glared at him, disapproving.

"Ahem," he coughed, turning back to Ron. "Yeah, I'll introduce you," he said, thinking fast. "I'm going to let you down, OK?" He sent Ron crashing to the floor (his ear did hurt quite a lot), but Ron simply bounded to his feet again, grinning. He looked at Hermione, wanting an idea. She shrugged. "Um… she'll be in Slughorn's office," he said confidently, leading the way to the door.

"Why would she be in there?" Ron asked anxiously, hurrying to keep up. In fact, he hurried so that he tripped up and Hermione had to catch him. "Oops, sorry," he said happily. "You've got pretty eyes too, you know."

Hermione gaped, and he went on to following Harry.

"But I shouldn't think about anyone else… I don't want to be unfaithful, you know?"

Harry smirked. "What makes you think that you would be?" he asked, looking back at Hermione, grinning.

"It's hard to explain," Ron scrutinized.

"I bet it is…" Hermione muttered.

"Wow, I'm dizzy… what does love do to you, Harry?" he asked. Harry rolled his eyes and yanked Ron over his shoulder, and then asked Hermione to take the other. She sighed and helped.

Lavender was waiting at the portrait hole, a complication Harry had not foreseen. But she had obviously heard Ron's question, and could obviously see his arm around Hermione. She didn't seem to see Harry at all, as she aimed daggers at her.

"Won-Won, you're late," she pouted, doing her best to ignore Hermione. "I've got you a birthday-"

"Leave me alone," Ron said impatiently. "I'm going with this lot to –"

"Breakfast," Hermione interrupted, looking back at Lavender with a smug smile on her face. "She might try to get in your way if you tell her the truth," she whispered in Ron's ear, who nodded. Harry shook his head, disbelieving.

As they made their way out Harry tried to make an apologetic face to Lavender, but it might have turned out simply amused. When the portrait closed, Ron made his way off of Harry and Hermione's shoulders, and walked absently in front of them.

"Love potions strengthen over time," Hermione said. "This could actually be quite serious…"

"Though it is pretty funny."

Hermione rolled her eyes, though she was smiling.

He completely forgot about what he had bet slip, and together they watched Ron walk dizzily down the corridors.

"I was tempted to leave him this way, you know?" Harry told her.

"But Harry-"

"Yeah, I know. But he hit me, hard. Though that was kind of what made me change my mind. He wasn't himself when he did. We really need to get him to someone before he does something-"

Hermione shrieked.

"Ron!" Harry yelled. "Get down from there!" he said, yanking his friend down from the banister.

"I thought that I saw Romilda…" Ron explained.

"Oh, so chucking yourself off of moving stairs would make everything better," Hermione said, dusting Ron off for no particular reason.

Suddenly Ron's eyes widened. "You have bushy hair!"

"Yes, I do, Ronald. Now, come on, let's go…" She looked at Harry uncertain. They non-verbally decided not to let go of him again.

Harry had been slightly worried that Slughorn might be at breakfast, but he answered his office door at the first knock, wearing a green velvet dressing gown and a matching nightcap and looking rather bleary-eyed.

"Professor, I'm really sorry to disturb you," Harry whispered after Slughorn had told him it was rather early. He looked over at Hermione, who was pushing Ron down, who was on tiptoes in an attempt to see over Slughorn's shoulder. "But my friend Ron has swallowed some love potion by mistake." Slughorn looked uneasy. "Madam Pomfrey would mean loads of awkward questions, and we had to do something before he does something really stupid. He almost walked off of the moving stairs."

"I'd have thought that you could whip something up, and expert potioneer like yourself?"

"Oh, no sir, by the time I had got it right he would have done something serious," Harry answered quickly, ignoring Hermione's raised eyebrows.

"Was this potion within date? They tend to strengthen, you know, the longer they're kept."

"We know," Harry and Hermione said in unison. "It's his birthday, professor," Harry added.

"Oh, OK then. I have the necessary equipment in here – leaving, Granger?"

"Yes, I'm rather hungry," Hermione said, excusing herself. "And if you're all OK in here, I should probably go and get something to eat."

"Yes, yes, very well. I didn't know she was friends with Wenbey anyways," he added to Harry.

"Oh, she isn't. Not really," Harry said glumly.

* * *

Please review! :) I less than three reviews! (sorry, can't help myself)


	10. Elf Tails Part 1

All of your fantabulistic reviews and alerts made me want to update all the more soon, but I haven't had the time! Thank you dear readers! :)

Disclaimer(keep on forgetting to add these, always in a hurry): I do NOT own HP. Sadly :(

* * *

The fact that Harry had preformed a mouth-to-mouth on Ron ran through the castle at the speed of light.

"For it to be a fact it actually has to be true," Harry mumbled, head in hands as Ginny asked him what had happened. He told her the story which he had already told Dumbledore, McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey, and soon later had to tell Hermione, and then Fred, and then George.

"Blimey, it was lucky you thought of a bezoar," said George in a low voice. They now sat round Ron's sick bed. Fred and George had been waiting to surprise Ron in Hogsmeade; they had been thinking about opening a branch there. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had arrived an hour ago, and Harry, Hermione and Ginny had only just been allowed in, at eight o'clock. Fred and George had gotten there at ten past.

"Lucky there was one in the room," Harry said, not wanting to think about what could have happened if he hadn't been able to lay his hands on the precious stone.

Hermione gave an almost inaudible sniff. She had been quite white and quiet the whole day. She had taken almost no part in Harry and Ginny's discussion about how Ron had came to be poisoned, but merely stood there, jaw-clenched and frightened, until they had been allowed in.

Ron stirred, and she immediately looked up, and bent over him, quavering.

"Do mum and dad know?" Fred asked Ginny.

"They've already seen him, they're in Dumbledore's office now, but I expect that they'll be back soon..."

There was a pause in which they all watched Ron mumble a little in his sleep.

Then they went on to discussing how the poison came about to Ron.

"The poisoner didn't know Slughorn very well," Hermione suddenly said, sounding as if she had a bad head cold and speaking for the first time in hours. "Anyone who knew Slughorn would have known there was a good chance he'd keep something that tasty for himself." Though her voice trembled, she still had that matter-of-fact tone, and Harry kind of admired her for that.

Hagrid came in, and then Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, so Harry, Hermione and Hagrid decided to be the ones to leave, and leave the family alone. And in that short time, Hagrid let slip that Dumbledore had been arguing with Snape.  
"I never said tha'" he said, though his look of panic couldn't have been more of a giveaway.

At that time of night, once Harry and Hermione finally reached the common room, the Fat Lady was snoozing peacefully, and was not pleased to be woken. She opened the porthole grumpily to reveal an empty and peaceful common room.

Hermione went straight to bed. Harry, however, stayed in front of the fire, thinking. So Dumbledore had argued with Snape, because he wanted Snape to investigate the Slytherins. Perhaps one single Slytherin; Draco Malfoy. And, also, there was a part of the story he retold that he had left out; though he probably should have told Hermione. She would probably find out anyway. He made a vow to tell her in the morning.

_Ron gulped down the potion eagerly, having being told that it was a tonic for the nerves .Harry and Slughorn watched him. For a moment, Ron beamed at them. Then, very slowly, his grin sagged and vanished, to be replaced by an expression of utmost horror._

_"Back to normal, then?" Harry asked him, grinning nervously. Slughorn chuckled. "Thanks a lot, Professor."_

_"Don't mention it, my boy, don't mention it," said Slughorn, as Ron fell into an armchair, looking devastated. "Pick-me-up, that's what you need," Slughorn continued. And he babbled on about the choice of drink._

_Harry looked at Ron, expectant. And then, finally, it came._

_"You bastard," he murmured, looking at Harry. Harry could feel the color drain from his face._

_"What was that, Ralph?" Slughorn asked, sorting through many drinks._

_Harry just stood there, mouth half-open, babbling like some sort of an idiot. Perhaps he was one._

_"I've got Butter-beer, I've got wine, I've got one last bottle of this oak-matured mead … hmm… meant to give that to Dumbledore for Christmas… ah well, he can't miss what he's never had!"_

_Harry was watching Ron, who just stood there, looking betrayed. It was worse than Harry could have ever imagined._

_"How could you?" Ron whispered as he took his glass from Slughorn. Harry took his own. He could do nothing more but look guilty._

And everybody knew the rest. Harry was a hero, saved Ron's life…

"Right," he said to himself, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, hands clutched together in front of his mouth.

"Backstabbing git," he scolded himself.

"There you are, Potter!"

Harry jumped and drew his wand, just to find that it was Cormac McLaggen.

"I've been waiting for you to come back," said McLaggen, disregarding Harry's drawn wand. "Must've fallen asleep. Look, I saw them taking Weasley up to the hospital wing, earlier. Didn't look like he'd be fit for next week's match.

It took Harry a few moments to realize what McLaggen was talking about.

"Oh… right… Quidditch," he said, putting his wand away. "Yeah… he might not make it," he wished out loud. All respect to Ron, he didn't want to be in the hospital wing for the Quidditch game; though he probably deserved it. But Gryffindor didn't.

The news that Ron had been poisoned spread quickly, though it didn't cause the sensation that Katie's attack had done. In fact, the Gryffindors seemed much more interested about the upcoming match against Hufflepuff. The whole school seemed dumbstruck at Harry and Hermione breaking up, when it had all seemed so perfect – "yeah, right," Harry had scoffed at an eager Colin Creevey . Harry, however, had become more interested in Draco Malfoy's activities.

But he didn't get much time to worry about Malfoy either, what with Quidditch practice, homework, Cormac McLaggen and Lavender.

McLaggen seemed to believe he was captain… Lavender kept on trying to discuss Ron. At first, she had been very annoyed that nobody had told her that Ron was in the hospital wing – "I mean, his is my boyfriend!" – but now she had forgiven Harry for that, and had become keen to have lots of in depth chats with him about Ron's feelings, a most uncomfortable experience, without the fact that Harry had been kind of dodging Ron's sickbed since the very day it had happened. He had gathered, however, that Ron pretended to be asleep every time she walked in the room.

Sunday, the day after the incident, Hermione had gone to the hospital wing before Harry got a chance to warn her, and Ron had managed to wake up for that.

"I mean, at first he looked rather smug, and then he smiled and said that it didn't matter anyways! I know that you told him Harry, it's rather obvious. But it's not the reaction I was expecting. It's making me quite nervous, actually."

"I know what you mean."

Harry was sure that Ron wouldn't be so amicable towards him.

The day of the match approached.

On the way to the pitch, Harry bumped into Malfoy, but had to try and ignore it. McLaggen was being true to his idea that he was captain.

"Tricky conditions!" he said as the team walked out onto the pitch. "Coote, Peakes, you'll want to fly out of the sun, so they don't see you coming-"

"I'm the captain, McLaggen, shut up giving them instructions," Harry said angrily. He had a reason to be. "Just get up by the goalposts!"

He also had a reason to miss Ron.

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Please stay true to your fantabulistic-ness and review! They truly brought a great big smile to my face :D


	11. Elf Tails Part 2

A/N: OK, there's a bit more of an argument in this chapter XDD And I just LOVE having new readers, it actually makes me say "Yay!" out-loud, which makes my brother ask me what the hell I'm doing, and I say "nothing," and... yeah, whatever. Thank you for reviewing, adding the story, whatever! And if your new, feel free to! Know that somewhere, I'm saying "yay!" :D

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Harry Potter (Though I wish I did, I'd be loaded)

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Ron had been listening to the match. And he had to say, Luna ruled. He had to congratulate her, maybe buy her a present (if he ever had any money) or something. Because she certainly deserved it. From saying how nice Ginny was (even after reminding everyone that she had flown into Smith when he did the commentary) to accusing Smith of suffering from something called 'Loser's Lurgy', she had certainly been the best commentator Ron had ever listened to.

He hadn't been allowed to go down to the match; Madam Pomfrey wouldn't hear of it. But, she was getting a fair return in glares, so Ron couldn't hate her much longer. Besides, she made his bed warm, and he couldn't do that kind of charm.

But, either way, he would have heard about Harry Potter's plunge to the ground as McLaggen wacked him around the head with a beater's bat. Within instants he had been lying in the bed beside Ron, who watched as Madam Pomfrey healed his cracked skull.

And now he waited nervously for his friend to return back to life.

By night fall, he noticed Harry lift his head awkwardly.

"Nice of you to drop in," Ron said awkwardly, grinning. He watched his friend blink, look around and touch his head gingerly.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Cracked skull," Madam Pomfrey told Harry hastily, shoving him back into his pillows. Ron tried not to smirk. "Nothing to worry about, I mended it at once, but I'm keeping you in overnight. You shouldn't overexert yourself for a few hours."

Suddenly, Harry sat up, throwing his sheets aside. "I don't want to stay here overnight," he said angrily, "I want to find McLaggen and kill him."

This time Ron did laugh. Though he knew that Harry didn't notice.

"Do you know how much we lost by?" he asked once Madam Pomfrey had threatened him to stay in his bed and left for her office, turning off the lights.

"Well, yeah, I do." Ron found his tone to be apologetic. He had subconsciously decided to currently give his friend (or so he called himself) a break. He had just had his head bashed in, to be fair. He probably didn't even remember, the pig. "Final score was three hundred and twenty to sixty."

"Brilliant," Harry said savagely. "Just brilliant! When I get my hands on McLaggen-"

"You don't want to get your hands on him, he's the size of a troll," Ron said helpfully. "Personally, I think there's a lot to be said from hexing him with that toenail thing of the Prince's. Anyway, the rest of the team might've dealt with him before you get out of here, they're not happy…"

This was when Harry seemed to realize who Ron was. And the suppressed glee in his voice. He liked to think that he was just thrilled that McLaggen messed up so badly. But the dark part in the back of his brain told him that he was happy for Harry getting his skull cracked open.

Ron noticed that Harry was nearly back to normal.

He had had this plan; it had involved him attacking Harry, and Harry apologizing, owing Ron his life. But now, they were both in their sick-beds. He reckoned that he probably could take Harry morally, but Madam Pomfrey would pry him off of Harry easily enough. To stop the awkward silence, he just said the first thing that popped into his mind.

"I could hear the match commentary from here," he said, and now he couldn't help but laugh. "I hope Luna always commentates from now on… _Loser's Lurgy_…" he chuckled. But Harry did not share his happy thoughts right now. "Um… Ginny stopped by while you were unconscious…" he said. And, unhappily, he couldn't help but sense the lightening of Harry's mood. Maybe he would hit him… or… where was his wand?

"Ron," Harry said. Ron froze, and stopped searching the room with his eyes.

"Eh-oh?"

Harry gulped. "Stop that."

Ron frowned. "Stop what?"

Harry looked at him, for the first time in a week. Ron only barely remembered Harry's panicked look as he had called him a bastard… hmm. Maybe he shouldn't have done that… but, to be fair, he had felt like crap.

"OK, I'll stop being happy. It looks like you want me to beat you up."

"I kind of do-"

Now it was Ron's turn to blink.

"Oh, OK."

They lay in silence. Until Harry found the courage to speak, without actually talking about the matter at hand, however.

"Listen, Ron, I'm sorry that I didn't come and see you once you were conscious. I'm just a coward."

Ron scoffed. "Oh, yeah. Defeated the Dark Lord when you could barely speak, and then again, and again… defeated a dragon, a basilisk… and you're scared of me, of course," he said. Now his voice was just unkind, however.

"Well, yeah," Harry said. Ron smirked, unkindly.

"Listen, Harry, do yourself a favor and save it."

"It's not great to know that your best friend wants to murder you!" Harry said, raising his voice, sitting up. But then he lay back down quickly as he heard movement from Madam Pomfrey's office. "Anyways, I'm pretty pissed. So I'm sorry if I'm not in the mood for a heartfelt talk right now."

"I never wanted a stupid talk."

"Then what do you want?" Harry said, raising his voice once more, something that hurt his head.

"I dunno, an apology-"

"For what?"

"For… for…" Ron realized that he was lost for words.

"Exactly, Ron. Exactly," Harry said. Ron felt his ears go red.

"Exactly what, exactly? I mean… what… you know what I mean!"

"_Exactly_ the fact that you would have no reason to be angry about the fact other that we lied to you! And yeah, that's a pretty crappy thing to do, but you know that that's not the reason that I've been hiding from you!"

"Why would you be hiding from me?"

"Why do you want to beat me up?"

"Quiet in there!" Madam Pomfrey shouted. "Or I'll get the headmaster!"

Ron was then resorted to whispering. "Because…" he stopped himself, "I never said that!"

Even in the dark, Ron knew that Harry was rolling his eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it, or not?" Harry hissed at him.

"No, because there's nothing to talk about," Ron said harshly, rolling over and pulling the covers over his head.

Harry was going to leave it, he really was. But maybe it was the frustration of not being able to move, the annoyance at McLaggen, losing the game, his cracked bloody skull, not being able to follow Malfoy before or after the match… whatever it was, it made him not able to leave it.

_OK, Harry. Take it calm._

_"Muffliato,"_ he whispered, pointing his wand towards Madam Pomfrey's door. He waited a few seconds, and then said, "Ron?"

"Yuh?" was Ron's muffled response. He had obviously been very close to sleep.

"Why are you being such a git?" he said, slightly icy.

So much for calm.

"Huh?"

"I said, why are-"

"I know what you said!" Ron said, shouting unwillingly. "Why the hell are you asking me that?"

"I just want an answer," Harry said calmly.

"To what?" Ron asked, voice hoarse. "What are you talking about?"

And then, _Harry_ exploded.

"Ron, yeah, you can be pissed off at me and Hermione lying to you, but come on! Why don't you just admit that you like her? It's pretty obvious! I don't even understand what that whole thing with Lavender was, Hermione cried for months because of you! She thought that you were going to Slughorn's party with you, but the next thing, you're snogging Lavender's head off! She had a reason to be upset, you know!"

"I-"

"And then I say that I'm dating her, and you say, yeah, go for it!"

"So you knew how I felt about her and still did it!"

"Well you certainly didn't know, _then_ maybe you would have done something about it! But no, yeah, just keep on smiling, throwing rocks at Slytherins!"

"I was being a good friend!"

"You were being a coward!"

Harry did not dare move as Ron swung his feet over the edge of his bed.

"What is this?" he demanded.

"It's the truth," Harry said coldly. "Why can't you just admit it?"

"I have no idea of what your talking about!"

"Oh, yeah, of course you don't! C'mon Ron, it's obvious that you've fancied her since at least fourth year!"

"Wha- who?" Ron said, obvious on insisting that his relationship with Hermione was nothing more than professional.

"Ron, how did you hate Krum as soon as he started googling at her when the previous day you wanted his autograph!"

"Huh? I though he was the enemy, didn't I?"

"Oh, yeah, right! I forgot that one!

"What one?" Ron whined.

Harry stopped to think. Maybe Ron _didn't_ like Hermione. Then what?

And then, there was silence.

"Ron-?"

"OK, OK. Yeah, I like Hermione. Are you happy now? Or maybe you want me to tell you that every time I saw you with her I wanted to rip your head off."

"Great, that means that I'm not the only one," Harry said out-loud. "Wait, that was wrong..."

"You like Lavender?" Ron asked, surprised.

"What? No, of course not. Ew. Sorry." He cringed and was thankful for the darkness, once more.

"No, I know what you mean. So... who is it?"

"You know what? You've admitted it!"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"So... what's the plan?"

"What plan?"

"To get rid of Lavender."

"No, I said mine, you've got to-"

"Kreacher!" Harry called out, desperate for an escape. There was a loud crack, which made both boys jump.

"What the- hey, that's cheating!" Ron shouted at Harry. Harry shrugged though Ron couldn't see.

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Please review! It makes me want to write more ;)


	12. Lord Voldemort's Request

"OK, up you get!" Madam Pomfrey tore open the curtains, and both Harry and Ron groaned. She put her hands on her hips. "You can leave now, and I'd advise that you did, there's a nasty case of boils coming up… they're rather contagious."

Ron and Harry jumped out of bed early Monday morning, Ron falling over; it had been a while since he had stood up for more than a few minutes to go to the bathroom, and jumping out of bed first thing in the morning didn't help.

Harry laughed out loud as he shoved his shoes on, in a hurry to leave.

"Shut up," was Ron's witty mumbled response, pulling his shirt over his head, hair a mess.

They skidded down the hall, not bothering to look at the other or ask for directions. Boils were nasty, and this was their chance at freedom… Ron hadn't been out of the hospital wing in a week and a half, and Harry just hated it. But, no matter how much Ron was skipping, happy to be able to move, he still slumped down onto his bed in the dorm.

"Hey Ron, Harry," Neville greeted, on his way out, but he stopped and stared at Ron, frowning. "Is he really better-"

"Yeah."

Ron grunted.

"Well, I'm glad," Neville said, confused, leaving. Harry gave Ron a look, which Ron seemed to notice.

"What? The sheets are nice. Oh, and Harry… I never want Chocolate Cauldrons ever again." He closed his eyes, smiling.

Harry was sure that he would have forgotten in a week, but he decided not to say it. "You seem to be forgetting that we have class," Harry reminded him. Ron groaned and rolled over.

"No we don't," he grumbled.

"Yes, we do," Harry persisted, reaching for his robes and uniform.

"Five more minutes…"

Harry snorted and rolled Ron over, shoving Ron's robes into his reluctant arms.

"OK, OK…" he grudgingly agreed. Five minutes out of the Hospital Wing and already in an unpleasant mood. Today was going to be fun. They hadn't talked more about Hermione or anyone who Harry _might_ have feelings for, and Harry was beginning to get curious over what Ron's plan was. _Really_. He knew that he had been pretending to sleep every time Lavender walked in the Hospital Wing, much to Harry's frustration. Of course, Lavender had dropped all the questions on him, and now he knew why.

They trudged down to the Great Hall for breakfast, to find everyone else already there, which wasn't really a surprise since Ron had taken so long to get dressed. Harry had noticed him patting out his hair, and tried to hide a smile.

They walked up to Hermione, who was sitting by herself, reading a newspaper. There was an empty spot next to her, probably for Harry, and her bag sat on the other side of her._ Very smooth_, Harry thought to himself. Harry took his seat, and Ron took her bag to sit next to her, putting it at his feet. And then he took Hermione's newspaper off of her, happily.

"Oh, back to normal then," Hermione said, not bothering to try and get it back, continuing with her toast.

"Yup," Ron said happily. "Oh, excellent!" he exclaimed, looking over Hermione's newspaper to find a tray of bacon.

Harry laughed.

"The Gryffindor team attacked McLaggen," Hermione told Harry.

Ron raised his eyebrows at Harry. "Tol' you so," he said, mouth full, and then swallowed, reading. "Oh, that's sad. Another disappearance. And of course it's not You-Know-Who…"

"Yes, it is awful. I can't believe the Prophet still won't give people the whole truth," Hermione said, clearly annoyed.

"Dreadful," Ron agreed. She looked at him for a moment, surprised at his change in character, but then turned back to her food. Harry snickered, and she threw him a look. He shrugged and started having breakfast. "So," Ron began. "I've been off a week, and my minds erased the timetable. What's first?" he asked Harry.

"Oh, Potions."

"Hey!" Ron suddenly said. "Any more luck with" he whispered "_you know what_?"

"No," Harry shook his head.

"Too bad," Ron said.

"You've only been gone a week, Ronald," Hermione said. "Not a month…"

"Yeah, I know, but… happy thoughts. I mean, I was poisoned…"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Both Ron and Hermione continued eating. Harry found that rather strange. They seemed to be friends again, but he wondered if Ron ever would admit it to her. No wonder Hermione had been pissed and not so eager to accept the apology.

Hermione caught Harry staring, and she raised questioning eyebrows. Ron soon followed.

"Um… Ron, you've got crumbs on your cheek," was the best he could come up with. Who was he to intervene?, now that he had blown off steam.

Hermione suddenly remembered something.

"Ginny has been arguing with Dean," she told them. Harry fought the desire to smile and air-punch in victory.

Ron watched him, frowned, seemed thoughtful and then shook his head subtly.

"So, what did Dean and Ginny row about?" he asked as the three of them turned onto a seventh floor corridor, though they were interrupted by a small girl dropping her brass scales. He repeated the question once they had walked away, after Hermione had helped the girl.

"Oh, Dean was laughing about McLaggen hitting that Bludger at you," said Hermione.

"It must've looked funny," Ron said reasonably.

"It didn't look funny at all!" said Hermione hotly. "It looked terrible and if Coote and Peakes hadn't caught Harry he could have been badly hurt!"

Ron just nodded, looking as if he would agree to anything Hermione said. She smiled, happy with herself.

"Yeah, well, there was still no need for Ginny and Dean to split up over it," Harry said, trying to sound casual. "Or are they still together?"

"Yes, they are-"

"Hang on, why do you care?" Ron asked, giving Harry a sharp look.

"I just don't want my Quidditch team messed up!" was Harry's excuse, but Ron continued to look suspicious. Thankfully, before he had time to cook up an excuse that sounded more ridiculous, Luna greeted them, handing Harry another invitation to a lesson with Dumbledore.

"Nice commentary last match!" Ron told Luna, forgetting his suspicions, Harry noticed. Hermione gave him a look, and he cringed.

"You're making fun of me, aren't you? Everyone says I was dreadful."

"No, I'm serious! I can't remember enjoying commentary more!" Ron told her earnestly. "What is this, anyway?" he asked, holding up an onion-like object that Luna had handed him as she had emptied her bag for the letter.

"Oh, it's a Guddyroot. You can keep it if you like, I've got a few of them. They're excellent for warding off Gulping Plimpies." And she walked away, leaving Ron chortling, holding the Guddyroot.

"You know, she's grown on me Luna," he told them.

"Oh, I've forgotten my bag! It's under the table in the great hall…" Hermione said, half to herself. And then Ron suddenly went slightly more serious, and gave Harry a look, and then looked at Hermione, who was unaware. Harry understood immediately, and it had nothing to do with her bag.

"I'll go get your bag," Harry offered, and Hermione nodded.

Ron touched her arm softly, making her stop. She looked at him, wondering what he might want. Harry was quick to start walking away, until he heard a shrill voice.

"RON."

Lavender Brown was standing at the foot of the marble staircase, looking scary. Harry backed backwards, gave Ron a sorry look and took Hermione by the other arm.

"C'mon," he said, steering her away, looking over his shoulder at Ron, who looked terrified. Hermione didn't even try to hide her smile as she and Harry walked away.

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Please review! I'm waiting until _at least _50 this time, so... get your reviews at the ready ;)


	13. Break Ups

"Ron seems better," Hermione said to Harry as they made their way down to the Great Hall, partly to get her bag and partly because it was nearly lunch time and they were in the middle of a free period.

Harry grinned. "Yeah, you could say that…"

Hermione caught on to his smile. "What?" she asked.

"Sorry, can't tell!"

"You're such a double agent."

"Not if I don't say anything."

She punched him playfully on the arm.

"Wow, fists of steel," Harry joked.

"I'm sure Malfoy would disagree," she said, smug.

"Oh, so we still remember that, do we?"

"Oh, shut up. It's hard to forget it."

And, as if called upon, Draco Malfoy spun around the corner, saw them, panicked, and ran.

Harry made to follow him, but Hermione grabbed his robes.

"Don't! Harry, don't!" He looked back behind him and gave her a threatening look, trying to free himself, but she wouldn't let go. And then he watched Malfoy disappear between students heading down for lunch. Hermione loosened her grip, and he eagerly looked out for him, but Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. He would have tried to follow him again if he had any idea of where he had gone. He looked back at Hermione and glared at her. She just sighed, as if it was perfectly natural and not her fault. Which annoyed him more.

"You can't just go running around Malfoy, it's not going to be good," she said, matter-of-fact-ly.

"I know, Hermione, that's the point," Harry said, irritated. How could she be so closed minded as to still not admit that he was up to something, even after the little episode in the classroom? He's up to something, I just know it."

"Yes, and that's all very well, but what are you going to do in a crowd of students? Gain yourself more detention?"

"Hermione, it's not detention I'm worried about. It's Malfoy who I reckon is trying to kill Dumbledore!" he said the last part in a whisper.

"Oh, come on, Harry, Dumbledore, the defeater of Dark Wizards, killed by Malfoy, a seventeen-year-old boy?"

"What's so strange about that? He's… old now." Yeah, it sounded weak, but he was willing to defend his theory. He could just feel Hermione rolling her eyes next to him, but he couldn't care as they entered the hall. For, waving at them, was Ginny. Her flaming red hair muffled all suspicions about Malfoy, and her presence was like a breath of fresh air to him.

Hermione dragged him and they sat in front of her. She seemed to be alone.

"Hey, Hermione, Harry," she greeted. "I'm sorry about you guys."

Harry frowned, confused. Though it sounded corny, he had been momentarily lost in her eyes. Her wonderful, chocolate brown, warm eyes.

"Pardon?" Hermione asked for him.

"You're split," Ginny reminded them. "It's so brave of you to be able to be together. It's getting to the point that I can't stand Dean anymore."

Harry's stomach lurched in triumph.

"Oh, well, what's a little…" she struggled to find the right words, something Harry had almost never seen, "slightly more intimate… relationship between friends? We figured that it just wasn't going anywhere, so… we figured it was all for the best."

Harry looked at Hermione. She seemed to be wondering the same thing.

Ginny shrugged. "Well, it's nice to see you together but not together. I mean, not nice, but… yeah."

She gave up on that one and bent in to whisper after she saw that no one was there. She was so close that Harry could smell the scent of her hair amongst the different foods lay out in front of them, though that was slightly creepy, so he decided to breathe through his mouth, thankful that Ron had handed him a _Bauble's Breath Cleaning Breath Mint_ and that he hadn't eaten anything yet. Harry remembered it and tried to stop himself from laughing, having a vague idea of why the mints were even in Ron's possession.

"I accidentally hexed Dean this morning. He's covered in boils… have you heard anything?"

Hermione frowned in disapproval. "Heard anything about what?"

"I mean…" Ginny blushed. "I didn't mean to hex him, my wand just… slipped." Hermione snorted, but Harry stopped her from arguing. Ginny looked at him gratefully, "And I don't think he knows that it was me, either."

"How could he not-"

"No, we haven't heard anything," Harry interrupted.

"Oh, good." She honestly looked relieved, though Hermione still looked disapproving.

"I'm going to lunch. You've seemed to forget that I _am_ a prefect."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Come on, Herms-"

"Don't call me that!"

"-you wouldn't tell anyone. Would you?"

Hermione looked at Ginny, torn. She looked from Harry to Ginny, who had the same amount of pleading written across his face.

"OK, fine the!" she said angrily. She took a few more bites and left. "I have to get ready for potions. Not everyone has help." She glared at Harry and he raised his hands, _not guilty_. "And I also have to pretend that I didn't hear anything you just said!"

"I seem to be a bad influence on her…" Ginny said, watching after Hermione fondly.

"You, a bad influence? I don't think so," Harry said without thinking. She turned back to him, and seeing his dazed expression, smiled at him sweetly. The smiled seemed to wake him up. "Oh, so, um…" he squirmed uncomfortably on the spot. "Have _you_ heard anything…?" he asked her, so as to change the subject.

"Like what?" she asked, brow furrowing.

He hesitated before speaking. "Like… like why me and Hermione broke up?"

"Oh, no… all that I've heard is what Hermione just said." So Ron hadn't told her? "But I'd say there was someone else."

Harry froze.

"Isn't it strange how she's friends with Ron as soon as you guys split?"

"Um… yeah. Strange," Harry agreed.

Ginny smirked and Harry gave her a questioning look.

"You suck at lying."

He couldn't help but smile. "I have no idea of what you're talking about," he grinned.

"Oh, OK… sure. Whatever," she smiled coyly. "Where is my idiot brother anyways?"

"With Lavender." Ginny pulled a face. "But I don't think that that's going to last much longer," Harry defended. "Actually, I don't think it's going to last past dinner."

He trailed behind her as they made their way to class together. If the castle wasn't so big, it would be easier, but Harry wasn't complaining about the time he was spending with Ginny. In fact, he had to go to the dungeons, but he decided to accompany Ginny to Transfiguration, without her really noticing that he as going out of his way. Anyways, he knew a passageway that would get him to potions quickly, and Slughorn wouldn't really mind.

"The next match is vital," Ginny was saying. "I think that if we win the next one with enough points we could still win the cup."

"Yeah, I was thinking that too-"

But he was cut off. Coming round to the Transfiguration classroom, they heard raised voices. Scary raised voices. They stopped as they reached to doorway. Ginny held up her hand as Harry tried to join her in peering through the door. As soon as she looked through, she jumped back, a glass flying where Ginny's head had been and crashing into pieces in the wall opposite.

"Make that past the next class," she corrected, shielding her head and moving back from the doorway. Harry waited a second, wondering what Ginny was talking about, and moved past Ginny to look through the classroom to see what she had seen. But at that moment Ron came running out of the classroom.

"Harry! She's mental!" he shouted, clutching his friend and shaking him. Harry momentarily thought of Hermione, but he was wrong, and he immediately felt guilty.

"_Ron! Get back here you coward_!" Lavender shrieked.

"Ah!" Ron said, running down the corridor, knocking various small students over and dodging the big ones. "If I don't make it to potions, make something up!" he called behind him to Harry.

Lavender emerged from the classroom, looking more terrifying than Harry had ever seen her. She was half sobbing, half shaking with fury, fists clenched. She didn't even see Harry, or Ginny. Or anyone else in the hall. Or Proffessor McGonagall.

"Miss Brown! No running in the halls, or you'll have detention." Lavender didn't seem to hear her either, and she ran after Ron, who was long gone, fuming. McGonagall looked cross, and she scanned the fifth years who were waiting for class, all looking after Lavender, a mix of awe and admiration on their faces. No one dared defy McGonagall. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Harry. "Potter, did you have anything to do with this?"

"No, not at all."

McGonagall looked down at him, or rather, up. He was rather tall. "You don't have Transfiguration now, Potter," she said, frowning.

"No, I don't!" Harry said, laughing nervously. "Um… yeah! See you Ginny!" he said, backing away. Ginny was the only one of them that looked half worried, half amused. And that made him realize the craziness of the situation. He turned around and chuckled to himself, while worrying about his friends safety.

But he needn't worry; Ron was already sitting in Potions once Harry got there, looking white. He had a blue lip and a cut over his eyebrow. Hermione was staring at him, eyes wide. Harry looked around and saw an angry Lavender, who didn't seem to be listening to Slughorn at all. The phrase 'if looks could kill' jumped to Harry's mind, and he wondered if that was what she was planning on.

"Harry! I was beginning to worry! Sit down now, we only started a minute ago..."

"Five minutes ago…" Harry heard Hermione mutter.

"I got detention!" Ron exclaimed, not caring about his injuries anymore, but more about the injustice of him getting detention and Harry getting out of it. "And I got here before he did!"

"Oh, yes, you did," Slughorn mumbled, annoyed that Ron had to remind him. "I'm sorry my dear boy, rules are rules…" he said to Harry. Harry was hoping that he could get detention; he didn't need another reason for Ron or Hermione not to talk to him for another month.

"It's OK. I should have been here before," he said, sitting between next to Ron and Hermione. Hermione was back to looking at Ron, worried. He bent towards her and whispered, "After that, I'll take birds any day." She smiled weakly.

Harry heard a sudden growl and he jumped, looking behind him, along with Ron and Hermione. It was Lavender. Ron shuddered and Hermione looked down at her book, alarmed.

"What did you do?" she whispered.

"OK, OK, everybody get out their ingredients!"

"Nothing, I swear! She threw a glass at me!" Ron whispered back, using the noise of everyone getting their stuff out to speak. "It almost hit Harry and Ginny…" he stopped and turned to Harry. "What where you doing with Ginny?"

"I was…" his voice trailed off. He couldn't find an excuse, and Hermione looked at his panicked expression sympathetically. "I was-"

"Harry, be quiet! I don't want to add another hour to your detention!"

Ron frowned back at Slughorn. "You took house points off of-"

"Ron! Shh!" Hermione hissed. Ron looked offended. "You'll lose the points I got!"

Ron rolled his eyes and the three of them got to work, and Harry dreaded the time when there would be no interruptions as he skimmed his book for instructions.

* * *

Please review! This chapter was fun to write, I hope it was fun to read!


	14. Uncomfortable Thruths

I only got two reviews for the last chapter... was it really that bad? Well, this ones more... action packed, in a way ;) But, still. It was pretty sad.

:( - me being sad.

It made me lose inspiration... hence the timely update. The faster you review, the faster I write a new chapter! (Please keep that in mind as you try and ignore that little review button at the bottom of the page)

* * *

"Harry, Weanbey, you'll serve your detention on this afternoon, after classes… yes, I think that'll do. You shall be… organizing the potions closets."

Ron and Harry stooped out of the potions classroom.

"I can't believe he still hasn't learnt my name after nearly a year of going to his stupid potions class," Ron said grumpily.

"It's only stupid because you're bad at it," Harry pointed out.

"_You're_ only good at it because you're cheating."

"I'm not cheating!" Ron raised his eyebrows. "I'm… taking advice."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" Ron's voice trailed off. Harry followed Ron's eye line and wasn't surprised to see that his was watching Hermione confiscate something off of a first year, with a dreamy expression. Harry frowned at him, and Ron woke up. "Shove off," he said when he saw that Harry was grinning. "I still haven't forgiven you for five months of lying to me."

"Oh, really? So what are you going to do about it?"

"I still haven't figured it out, don't crowd me!" Ron said, rather pathetically. Harry smirked. Even though Ron was talking about punishing Harry in some way, Harry knew that he deserved it, and was awaiting his punishment rather eagerly, to his own surprise.

"I deserve something…" he stood still, and Ron stayed back, looking at him confused. Harry opened his arms. "C'mon, punch me. Right now."

"What, with Hermione the prefect right there?" He laughed. "Nah… I don't have to hit you."

"Listen, Ron, I'm serious. It was a stupid thing to do and I deserve some sort of punishment!"

"Been spending time 'round Filch lately?" Ron laughed and carried on down the corridor.

"No! Ron," Harry followed his friend down the hall, and he knew that some people must think that he had gone quite mad. "Hit me or – or _something_!"

"What? No!" Ron said, frowning now, but not stopping.

"I did something stupid and I hurt you…"

"Yeah, it was a stupid thing to do," Ron agreed.

"So… do something about it! I know… I'll do your homework for a month! No, wait! The rest of the year!"

Ron laughed again.

"Why, you'll just do it as bad as me, mate."

"But, the point is that you don't have to do it."

Ron shook his head and carried on.

"You can borrow the Half-Blood Prince," Harry offered, but immediately regretted it. Ron looked thoughtful as they got into class, but then he shook his head.

"Nah, I think Hermione's right, there's something sinister about that book."

Harry's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're just trying to get in her good books!"

"So what if I am?"

"I'm offering you my Potions book! Do you want me to feel bad?"

Ron didn't answer as he brought out his Charms book, though he looked a bit smug. Harry understood.

"That's really evil," he muttered. Ron gave him a smug little smile, but then pouted.

"As evil as lying to your best friend for five months?" he said in a mock-sweet voice.

The door opened and whoever came through earned a disapproving look from Flitwick. "Sorry I'm late, Proffessor." And then Hermione was there and Harry had to shut up. And Ron just kept on looking smug. "The first year wanted that Frisbee back…" she added to Ron and Harry, sitting between them. Harry didn't look up, and Ron doodled happily on his piece of parchment. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Nothin'," Ron said happily, and went to pretending to listen to Flitwick. Hermione frowned and gave Harry a questioning look but Harry didn't dare move his eyes from his Charms book. She huffed and brought out her own stuff.

As the classes for the day finished, Harry and Ron exchanged glances and made their way down to the dungeons. Ron had been highly annoying that day, gaining Harry's sympathy in many different ways, which all involved reminding Harry of the terrible things he had done.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Harry asked gloomily. Ron didn't answer. In fact, he looked thoughtful. Harry said nothing, and decided it was best if he didn't. _Maybe he'll stop_, he thought hopefully, though he didn't put much thought behind it. They made their way down to the dungeons in silence; besides, Harry was exhausted. The sleep he had gotten in the hospital wing was obviously not enough for the many sleepless nights he had spent in Ron's wake. God, why did his conscience have to be so… insistent?

He was ready to walk right into the potions classroom, when Ron put his hand on the door handle, impeding Harry's entrance.

"Wha-?" Harry started, but Ron ignored him.

"Harry, I have a…" he struggled to find the right word, "request."

"Well, if you bring out the 'how could you?' card, I'm gonna have to accept, aren't I?" Harry said.

Ron grinned. "Yeah, that was kind of what I was hoping for." He loosened his grip on the door handle. "Listen. To be honest, I don't think you're being completely honest with me." Harry said nothing, so he continued. "So, I want answers. Now."

"I don't think that-"

"During detention. I'm not that thick, Harry, I didn't get you in detention for the fun of it."

Harry's heart sank.

"I mean, Slughorn's not going to stay, the lazy bastard… I reckoned that we're not really gonna have any alone time, and you're gonna either ignore it or avoid me or… whatever. Which would be fine by me… but I've decided that I want the truth. The whole truth." Harry dared himself to look into Ron's eyes. He looked dead serious.

Harry winced involuntarily and Ron threw his hands up in the air, and for a moment Harry thought that he was going to be pummeled (for the one-hundreth time).

"I knew it!" Ron shouted, and then he groaned.

"What? What are you-"

"There's more, isn't there? You didn't tell me everything, did you?"

"What? Well…"

"Oh god." Ron put his head in his hands, and Harry stood, petrified, watching him. But then he seemed to regain himself. "I want to here it," he said, rather bravely. "OK?" Harry could find no way out.

"OK."

"Boys… I'm going to have to leave you here. I have… um… exams to correct."

Ron raised his eyebrows at Harry in an '_I told you so_' kind of way. Even though it was feeble, Harry had been counting on Slughorn staying.

"I trust that you'll leave the classroom in order? We've had some rather messy first years down here…" And it was plain to see that they were not very talented. Ingredients lay disregarded, cauldrons overflowing with god knows what… And Harry thought, with a sudden hope, that Slughorn might not- "And I'm going to have to take your wands." Damn. "It wouldn't really be detention with them, now, would it?"

"No, Professor," the boys chorused grudgingly.

"OK then!" Slughorn clapped his hands, obviously forgetting that he had the wands in them, and dropping them to the floor. Harry winced; he was fond of his wand, and he had good reason to be. Ron made a face as he heard the clanking. "Oh dear… ah well. Anyways, I shall be back in two hours…" Two hours? This was going to be torture. "… for dinner. If you haven't finished the classroom then you shall go without it, I'm afraid."

Ron groaned.

All this just for being late? Harry suspected it had more to with Slughorn's fondness of his memories.

"Oh, and there are brooms and mops in the closet," he reminded them as he closed the door rather hastily.

As soon as he left, the boys turned to each other.

"First half spring cleaning?" Ron suggested.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. Maybe that would give him a chance to think about strategies. Though all Ron would have to do was beg, and he could have Harry eating out of the palm of his hand.

The first three quarters of an hour were then spent gaining a number of ugly burns and being attacked by creatures that Harry had never known hid in the potions' closet. It was filled with more '_Arggggg!_''s than actual talking. And Harry had been distracted on how to not say certain things about certain people's siblings so that he had received the biggest number of casualties.

But, Ron's eagerness to know the truth and having Molly Weasley as a mother and Fred and George as brothers gave him the ability to clean up messes at an alarming speed. Harry's heart sunk once more as he thought of how much Ron wanted this, and how he was still trying to find a way to worm his way out of it.

"OK, not one word of this to mum or she'll have me cleaning the whole Burrow over the summer," Ron said, sighing as he sat down in the nearest stool. Harry looked around desperately for something else to clean. Ron noticed. "Is it really that bad?"

"No, not at all," Harry lied.

Ron thought this was about Hermione… god, when he learnt the truth… But – if Hermione was all he suspected, maybe Hermione was all he wanted to know…

"OK then," Harry said, in order to split the tension. "Ask any question and I'll answer it." Maybe he could avoid Ginny during this.

"Yeah?" Ron asked.

"Yeah," Harry repeated, using all of his strength to stare into Ron's eyes and not turn away. Ron stared for a moment, as if thoughtful. But then he leant back.

"OK."

"Oh, and if you want to hit me, feel free! Maybe I'll be free of your pouts after this."

"Yeah, maybe," Ron said, but he didn't smile. He was obviously scared. He must think of Harry as Harry thought of Dean. If he did, Harry was so dead right now. "So. Was it all pretend, or did you guys actually go out?"

Harry couldn't believe his ears. Really? That was the first question? Awesome.

"It was all fake," Harry said honestly. "Pretend. It never happened. I've never thought of Hermione that way. Ever."

Ron flinched at the mention of Hermione's name, as if he was still having trouble admitting it, or if he feared she would enter at the sound of it.

"OK then. Good," Ron said, breathing for a second. But then he went tense once more. "Did you guys ever…" he made a face, as if that would explain it. But Harry was reluctant to finish any sentences, or to give any ideas. He wasn't going to answer unless it was in the question. Ron noticed and shrugged, giving up. "Did you guys ever," he paused. "Make out?"

Harry wasn't sure what to answer. What was the definition of make out? Did it have to be voluntary? But he wasn't going to ask Ron that. But he couldn't help try to avoid it.

"You mean like you and Lavender?"

Ron shrugged, but Harry still said nothing.

"Yeah, like me and Lavender! Sheesh…"

Harry flinched before he answered. "No."

Ron stared and scrutinized at Harry's face.

"But did you kiss?"

Harry squirmed on the spot.

"Uh… kind of-"

"Kind of?" Ron asked.

"I mean, sort of…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron said, obviously struggling to keep his voice level. Harry got a bit annoyed. It wasn't like he _owned_ her or anything. He had no right, especially when he was snogging Lavender at the same moment. "Go on!" Ron pushed.

Harry rolled his eyes… he couldn't help it. "Listen, Ron, it's not like you own her or something," he said his thoughts aloud. Ron looked hurt. "You were _making out _with Lavender that very second!"

Ron struggled. "So?" he said feebly.

"_So_, it was an accident!"

"How can snogging someone be an accident?"

"It was barely snogging! I… she… our lips met," he said, failing in making it sound less bad than it already was.

"What the heck's that supposed to mean?" he asked, standing up. But Harry did not back off. He stood up too.

"Listen, Ron! Stop being such a selfish git," (yeah, he went there,) "and accept the facts! _I'm sorry_, OK? I never meant to kiss her! I'm pretty sure she never meant to kiss me either! And-"

And then Ron punched him. Harry was surprised at the amount of force put behind it, and staggered back, tripping over the stool and plummeting to the floor. The shock of it was incredible, especially when he had been expecting it nearly the entire year. His glasses had fallen off, and he was sure that he had heard a smash. Oh, great. What was the spell again…? No use anyways, Slughorn had taken their wands.

There was an eerie silence from Ron as Harry looked around for his glasses.

"You're not supposed to hit someone with glasses," he muttered, not sure if he was aiming for a joke or an accusation. "Ow!" he said involuntarily, as his fingers found glass. His thumb had to be bleeding now. Ron still said nothing. But, his hair was a wonderful shade of red, so Harry could spot him with or without his glasses. He stood up rather clumsily and brushed his front clean. He then made his way to his stool, and set it back up. OK, now he couldn't see. But he could see that Ron was hanging his head in shame.

He looked at the blur that was Ron.

"I kind of deserved that."

Ron's blur looked up, and he seemed to see that Harry couldn't.

"Oh, god!" he said, jumping onto the floor and feeling around for Harry's glasses. Harry knew that he found them, because he shouted out as his hands felt glass too. "Oh, no… they're smashed…" he said. Harry winced. They would have to wait until Slughorn came back (or at least, Harry would) to leave. "I'm an idiot…" Ron was saying as he sat back, playing with Harry's glasses as if he expected them to fix without magic. And then he looked at Harry. "But I'm not really sorry," he said truthfully. "You were kind of asking for it."

"Yeah… I kind of was." He paused. "Am I bleeding? I can taste blood…"

"I'm not going to look in your mouth, mate."

"Oh, OK."

There was another silence.

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"I have to be truthful with you."

"Oh no! You didn't make out, did you?"

Harry was about to argue that Hermione _still_ wasn't Ron's property, but his jaw screamed otherwise.

"No. Ron, listen. There's a reason I did it. The pretending to date Hermione. Yeah, she did it to get to you, but I did it to get to someone else."

Harry didn't need his glasses to see Ron's confusion.

"I did it-" he hesitated. He didn't really have to tell him. This was his chance to go back. Use Hermione to shield his feelings for Ginny. Maybe earn another punch, but… who was he kidding? He was getting punched anyways. Ron noted the silence.

"Is it really so bad that you can't tell me? I like _Hermione_, Harry."

Harry turned. It was a bit pathetic to look at Ron, he'd look like an idiot without his glasses.

"Uh... it was kind of because of..." he gulped. "It was because of Ginny."

* * *

Review. All the answers come a whole lot quicker if you do.


	15. Girl Talk

Wow. Anyone see the difference in reviews, there, next to the name of the story and what-not? Anyone?

Yay! (It won't let me write a really long yay)

:D - me being happy.

Lol, I hope you all like the illustrations

;) - me knowing that you love 'em.

ANÝWAYS... thanks a lot to everyone has reviewed this story... ever!

Please review some more!

Especially for this chapter, I had to keep on re-writing it and such.

So, tell me what you think...

* * *

Harry braced himself. He closed his eyes, and was thankful that he wasn't wearing his glasses again; you can't break them twice, but glass in his eyes was something he would never look forward to.

And then Ron started to laugh.

Harry jumped at the suddenness of it all.

One minute Ron was looking confused, and the next he had burst with laughter and was holding the potions' table for support, clutching his ribs.

"Oh my – I can't breathe…!" he gasped between laughs. "I thought that – and then you said –" he pointed at Harry, laughing, "Wow!" And then he started to laugh again.

Harry got up from his stool, and stared. He blinked a few times to make sure that he hadn't been knocked out and was having some strange sort of dream. It turns out it wasn't a dream; but Harry still didn't approach him.

And then Ron went back to normal, and looked at Harry, who was dead serious. His mouth fell open, the smile vanished from his face.

"You're serious," he said. Harry said nothing, and Ron put his hand on his (own) head. "Merlin, you're really serious! Ha… ha," he breathed, but failing to sound amused. He had the look of being clubbed over the head as he raked his hair back with his fingers, as if mulling it over in his brain. And then he pulled various faces, as if his thoughts were going like this: confused, annoyed, confused, annoyed, angry, calm down, what the -, calm down, angry, _I'm gonna rip his head off!_, calm down… oh.

Harry watched, half scared, half amused. Actually, he was more frightened than he was amused. And then he waited for the verdict. Ron realized this, and cleared his throat.

"That's pretty weird," he finally said.

All Harry could do was nod in agreement.

"That's _really_ weird," Ron said. Harry didn't dare move, although his legs were killing him. "I mean, you _fancie_ my _sister_."

When it was said like that, it did sound weird. It sounded _really_ weird. And creepy.

But Harry couldn't help it.

So he shrugged.

This time, Ron just stared.

"And that's it?" he asked disbelievingly. "I mean, this kind of explains a lot, but… _really_? I mean, you could just say that it's a joke, and I'd be well happy." He waited. "But it's not a joke, is it?"

"Uh… no, not really," was all Harry could come up with.

"That's really weird!" he shouted, though he didn't sound angry.

"Listen, I never meant to-"

Ron held his finger up. "Just give me a second, 'Kay?"

Harry nodded and waited, not letting down his guard.

"I mean, how…? When…? Nah, I don't want to know…" he talked directed at Harry, though it looked like he was more about talking to himself. "Why is… when she was… and you said… and then… Lavender… a glass… Ginny…" he looked at Harry, "you were… and I thought… but I kind of already knew… I mean, Hermione said… Oh! Blimey." And then he went back to raking his hair back.

Normally Harry would have asked 'what the hell are you talking about?' but he didn't dare speak.

Every now and then Ron would say "Wow," or, "Weird," or, "Merlin." Harry just watched, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second.

"No wonder you didn't say… I'm such a git!"

Harry took a moment to replay it in his head.

"Wait, _what_? How are _you_ the git?" He couldn't help himself.

"It's just… listen, Harry. I'm going to be truthful with you, too. I don't like that you think of my little sister like that. It's weird. Creepy. And that's kind of written in my DNA, so I can't help it. But maybe, if I wasn't such a git in that way, you could have told me…"

"And what? Talk about it?"

"Well, in the Hospital Wing you listened to me blabber on about Hermione…"

It was true. On Sunday, the day after Harry's accident (the Quidditch match had been on a Saturday and Madam Pomfrey had insisted on Harry staying another day and night), Harry had sat there, extremely uncomfortably while listening Ron go through every single thing he liked about Hermione. Her bushy hair, when she did his homework… how she was extremely caring and wonderful… Harry had wondered if this was a side-effect from the love potion, but he hadn't dared say a thing, since Ron was distracted from Harry's slip. So that had been Sunday, apart from times in which Hermione came in to see them and then Ron would go pink and not say a word to her.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"No, listen. You listened to me, and I can't listen to you 'cause I'll want to rip your head off."

"Wonderful."

Ron nodded and there was another silence.

"Does 'Mione know?"

Harry shrugged awkwardly. "Well, she was kind of in on it, so… yeah. I mean, Hermione doesn't miss a thing, she's really smart… But don't hate her for it!" he added quickly, seeing Ron not liking Harry complimenting her. Harrys' jaw didn't want a replay.

Ron shook his head. "Nah… I guess I just feel kind of… left out."

"_Left out_?" Harry repeated.

"Well, yeah, I mean…" he stopped himself. "Nah, sorry, this is too weird. Now I know why blokes don't have heart-to-heart talks. They suck." Harry couldn't help but laugh at this. "I'm not going to listen to you talking about my sister like I did Hermione."

Harry nodded solemnly.

"But… maybe Hermione will listen."

He looked at Harry, as if surprised at the words he had voiced. But then, after Harry's questioning glance, he gave him an encouraging smile.

Harry blinked, for he could simply not believe his luck. Ron was still smiling. He made himself talk before Ron changed his mind. "Um… yeah! Sure!" he said enthusiastically. "Hermione." This was more than he could have ever hoped for. This was impossible.

Ron held out his hand.

"We good?" he asked.

"We're good," Harry answered, taking it, and Ron shook, though he still looked confused as he did so.

"Mum's going to go ballistic," he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing."

And he punched Harry again.

"Sorry, mate. It had to be done."

* * *

Three quarters of an hour later, Harry and Ron were no longer punching the crap out of each other (or Ron wasn't). In fact, they were quite chummy again.

"So, what's the Hermione plan?" Harry asked casually as they skipped bezoars into a cauldron; there wasn't that much to do.

"Harry, girl talk," Ron reminded him. "Let's go to guy talk, and then _maybe_ we can stay sane." He sounded dead serious.

Harry laughed. "Sounds like a plan."

The door opened, and both boys jumped, hiding their remaining bezoars behind their backs.

"My dear boys! You've done an excellent job-! What have you two been doing? Harry… where are your glasses? And is that… blood?"

Slughorn stood in the doorway. He went from marveled, to grateful, to confused, to worried.

Harry stammered, blinking. "Oh, no, Professor… my glasses just… broke. Um… it was…"

"Gulping Plimpies," Ron cut in. Harry gave him a questioning look, and Ron shrugged. "Ask Luna Lovegood, Professor."

"She was here?" Slughorn asked disapprovingly.

"Oh, no," Ron shook his head, "but she knows what they are. Look, she gave me this… _thing_ to ward them off." He brought the Guddyroot. "Uh… didn't do much though," he laughed nervously. Slughorn looked at Harry, who nodded in agreement and then shook his head. And then Slughorn looked at them both as if they were quite mad. And then he frowned.

"Are you bleeding, Harry?"

"What, where?" Harry said, putting his hand to his face, but wiping his bleeding thumb on him. "Oh! This… Yeah. It was the um..." he looked at Ron for guidance.

"Gulping Plimpies, sir," Ron finished again. "You might want to get rid of them," he said, and started to walk past Slughorn. "We barely made it, if it hadn't been for this Guddyroot…" he tossed the vegetable in the air fondly. "Oh well. We survived, didn't we Harry?" Harry nodded quickly. "So, those can't be safe. But careful… they're invisible." He patted Slughorn on the back encouragingly and took back his wand, which Slughorn had been clutching tightly, before he left for out the door. Slughorn looked at Harry.

"What he said," he said, and he took his own wand as he ran out after Ron, leaving Slughorn looking rather wearily around the classroom.

"He ate that up, didn't he?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure…" Harry said truthfully, looking behind him, though the potions door was closed. "Hand them over," he said, motioning to his glasses in Ron's hand.

"Oh, yeah…" Ron said, handing them over. Even though he said that he wasn't sorry, he sure looked guilty.

"_Oculus reparo_," Harry muttered, tapping his glasses. They seemed fixed, though there was a great gaping whole in the left glass. Harry frowned, but a piece of glass came whizzing towards him from the potions class and sat itself in there firmly. Ron looked approving.

"Cool," he said.

Harry carried on as they made there way down to dinner, but he noticed Ron stop and… check his reflection in a suit of armor.

"Ron, what are you doing?"

Ron ignored him, and made a vain attempt to flatten out his hair.

"What does Hermione normally do at this time?" he asked.

Harry frowned. "Ron, you've been friends for six years."

"I forgot, OK?"

"Well, dinner is a main attraction at this hour."

"Oh, yeah. Food." He paused. "What do I do?"

Harry laughed. "I dunno, eating is something that normally happens at dinner."

"No, I mean about Hermione."

Harry's eyes widened. "I thought you said no girl talk?"

"That was _then_, wasn't it?" Ron said as if that was supposed to mean something. Harry waited for more, but there was none.

"_Then_? That was five minutes ago-"

"Leave it, OK. I need advice. You know how it goes with her-"

"No I don't! That was _fake_, Ron! The only girlfriend I've ever had cried every time we kissed!"

Ron nodded. "You're right. You suck at girls." _Ginny has nothing to worry about_, Ron thought. "OK." He breathed out. "OK…" he repeated.

Harry laughed nervously. "What are you worrying about, anyways? You know she likes you…"

"Yeah, but there's a fat difference between saying and doing," he said, now attempting to flatten out his shirt as he and Harry continued to walk down the corridor.

"What she _did_ was date me for five months, Ron. To piss _you_ off. I don't think you have much to worry about," Harry reassured him.

"Nah, you don't think," was Ron's brilliant nervous retort.

Harry then on decided to keep his mouth shut for the rest of the trip to dinner; anything he said would probably be blown up in his face by Ron. Besides, being snappy was probably just pushing his luck. Which was good today. Very good. Too good.

Yay!

* * *

"Harry, you looked like you've been slapped round the face."

"Oh, right. Yeah, today's too weird… first, -"

"No, no, no! You look terrible," Hermione said. She looked at Ron, who immediately tried not to look so guilty.

"Oh, I um… tripped," he said feebly, not daring a glance at her, just in case.

Hermione frowned at him, but said nothing more on the subject.

"Hey Hermione," Ron greeted, wiping his guilty expression off of his face, as he sat in between Harry and her, ignoring Harry's "Ow, that was my foot!"

"Hello…" Hermione said simply. Ron looked at Harry and he shrugged

"So…" Ron said, starting again, but he was interrupted by Ginny sitting in front of them. He immediately cut himself off and stared at her. Hermione didn't even look up from her food, though Harry certainly did.

"Ron!" he whispered, nudging his friend hard.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked. Ron coughed and woke up.

"Oh, nothing," he gulped, and then he looked at Harry, who did as Hermione; stare at his food.

"I just came to see if you were still alive," she told Ron.

"Oh, yeah. I'm alive," Ron said, as if he regretted it. Harry saw that he was turning red.

"Oh no," he muttered.

Harry spent the next five minutes trying to get Hermione's attention without anyone else noticing. He tried all he could, except what did it was a rather subtle levitating crisp, which hit her in the head.

"What!" she hissed behind Ron's shoulder, who was sitting fist clenched. "Oh," she said, realizing. "Ron?" she asked.

"Yeah?" Ron said immediately, suddenly forgetting about Ginny. Ginny gave Harry a questioning look, and he shrugged again.

"I… um…" Now it was Hermione who gave Harry a questioning look. Harry shrugged once more, and engaged in conversation with Ginny, unnoticed, surprisingly, by Ron, who was listening to Hermione's every breath… or something like that. "I guess what I wanted to ask was…" another pause; it was obvious that Hermione was winging it to anyone but Ron. "I was wondering if I… if you…"

Ginny and Harry were now listening intently to what Hermione had to say, but without looking at her. She seemed to notice, however, the attention she was gaining from many people of the Gryffindor table.

_Honestly_, she thought, _don't they have something more interesting to do_?

"I was wondering if you could lend me your quill," she breathed, and both Harry and Ginny sighed and went back to talking about Quidditch. "When we get back to the common room, I mean."

"Uh, yeah, sure." Harry could not help but sense the disappointment in Ron's voice. Ginny noticed to.

She raised her eyebrows at him, and he smiled.

And then he felt Ron's eyes on him, and he went back to eating quietly. In fact, so did Hermione, and, eventually, Ron.

Ginny stared at all three of them and rolled her eyes… she knew what was up with Ron and Hermione… but what was up with Ron and Harry? After much pondering, she came to the conclusion that Ron was pissed Harry 'cause of him and Hermione. She did go a bit farther during her pondering… Ron being annoyed when Harry looked at her, Ginny Weasley… but no, that was just silly. As silly as it was five years ago…

"I've got to go…" Harry said, reminding Ginny where she was. She had been remembering her daydreams from her first year… and Harry seemed to star in pretty much all of them. She couldn't help but go red, though they couldn't read her mind.

Harry bent over to Ron, and spoke through clenched teeth, so no one else could hear; besides, it was Hermione that mattered in this situation, and she was trying extremely hard not to look at or hear Ron.

"Give it a go!" he hissed. Ron squirmed uncomfortably.

"The same day I break up with Lavender? Isn't that a bit… creepy?"

Harry rolled his eyes. Ron got the point and nodded.

Harry then left, determined not to say goodbye to Ginny… though he did anyways.

"Bye Hermione, Ginny," he said.

"Bye," Hermione said simply.

"See you, Harry!" Ginny said.

That made Harry's heart leap, and he hoped it didn't show.

As he left, he heard a, "So, Hermione…"

* * *

I know you all love those Cliffhangers!

;) - me being sneaky

Review if you want more!


	16. To Talk

Yay! MORE REVIEWS + ALERTS! :D

But... well, here's another picture.

:$ - me being nervous about this chapter.

* * *

"So, Hermione…" Ron started.

"Yes?" she asked, looking up from her dinner eagerly.

"… can you pass me the chicken?"

_Like me_.

Hermione passed him the platter of chicken a bit harshly; it made a bang as it was slammed onto the table. But then she calmed down.

"Ron?"

Ron looked up from his newly acquired chicken.

"Yes?" he asked eagerly.

"Nothing."

Ginny watched the exchanges with increasing annoyance.

"Are you going to do this all through dinner?" she asked, irritated.

"Do what?" Ron and Hermione asked in unison, and then looked at each other at the sound of the other's voice, only to then look disappointed.

"This!" Ginny said frustrated.

"I honestly have no idea of what you are talking about," Hermione said pointedly. Ginny rolled her eyes. She looked at her brother.

"Seriously?"

Ron was about to talk, but his mouth was full, so he just shrugged.

"God, you're both boring," Ginny said. "Harry's the only one with a sense of humor around you guys-"

"Now wait one second!" Ron said, pointing at her; but as a result to talking with his mouth full, food spewed across his plate. Hermione looked at him, disgusted.

"Ronald…" she said reproachfully. Ron turned red, and Ginny giggled.

"Well, I've lost my appetite…" she said as she got up. "Maybe I'll go find Harry… kidding!" she said after Ron turned red with anger. "God!" Ginny huffed as she stomped away.

Hermione looked at Ron disapprovingly as soon as they were out of the Great Hall and making their way up to the common-room.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"Oh, don't pretend that you don't know," Ron said angrily. Hermione gave out an offended gasp.

"I do not know what you're problem is or why you're being so… _hostile_-"

"Harry's got the hots for my little sister, that's what's wrong with me!" he hissed, making sure nobody else heard.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're being immature," she scolded, but Ron just scowled. She smirked. "What makes you think that that's a problem?" she asked loudly. "Wouldn't you rather Harry than Dean, or… anybody else she's dated?" she said, though this time in a whisper.

"Wait a second – are they dating under my nose?" he asked angrily. "Because if they are-"

"No, no! They're not!"

"Why should I believe you anyways?"

Hermione looked hurt.

"I'm only trying to talk some sense into you," she said in a quiet voice.

"I'm fine," he said grouchily.

"No, you are not! Ron…" she touched his arm, planning on forcing him to look in her eyes.

It had been ages since they had touched. Ron hadn't really noticed it until now. Nor had Hermione. She stared at her hand for a second, as she realized how long it had been. Ron stared at her. She realized this and turned pink, letting go of his arm rather nervously. She then withheld the desire to say sorry… for what?

Without a word they started to walk once more. Most students had already passed them, and they were now tailing along behind most of the Gryffindors who were making there way to their dorms too. They were now able to talk without behind overheard or stared at.

"You're right," Ron said. "I should let it go. I mean, it's not like it's the end of the world, right?" he asked. Hermione looked at him and saw that he was grinning.

"Right," she beamed.

"Right," Ron repeated. But his smile faded as their eyes met, and Hermione's smile faded with it.

"Right," she whispered.

They waited.

Hermione sighed.

"We really need-"

"To talk," Ron finished. Hermione nodded.

"Somewhere… private," she added as Lavender stormed past them, knocking Ron on purpose.

"Yeah…" he agreed, rubbing his arm.

As they tipotoed their way to the Room of Requirement, Hermione wondered what she had meant by _somewhere private_. She didn't think that she meant it in… _that_ way. They were just two friends, who needed to talk. About… their feelings.

Oh god, it probably _was_ in _that_ way.

No, it wasn't. She just didn't like breaking the rules, that was all.

Who was she kidding? This had nothing to do with rules. Maybe she should plan something to say. She always felt more comfortable if she had something solid with which to base herself on…

Ron watched Hermione get increasingly nervous as they approached their selected destination. He wondered if he should comfort her, but he didn't really think it would work, what with his trembling knees and sweaty palms. And comfort her about what? It wasn't like they were doing anything… she was probably just nervous about breaking the rules. Yeah, that sounded right. She was a prefect and all… though she had seemed all to keen to break the rules last year, and she had been a prefect that year too. But this year there was no Umbridge… she probably didn't want to offend Dumbledore… because they were so chummy and all.  
He stopped making himself sound so stupid, and tried as hard as he could to think about something else. Though he should probably be planning something.

Oh crap, they were already there.

They looked at each other.

"Go ahead," Ron said, eager not to be the one to ask for a place.

Hermione hesitated before walking in front of the familiar tapestry three times. But it took more than three times.

_I need a place where Ron and I can… talk._

_I need a private place for me and my… friend._

_No! That sounded terrible…_

_ I need a place where no one can find us having a friendly conversation about… ugh! Get a grip, Granger! Oh, that sounded fun – no! Focus!_

"What are you doing, reading out a wish list for Christmas?"

Hermione jumped.

"What?"

Ron stared.

"Oh… I can't think of what to ask it."

"How about… you lie?" he said, unable to think of anything that didn't sound embarrassing. "_We need a place to study_," he said.

"That's horrid!" But it was a good idea.

_We need a place to study, we need a place to study_, she thought with all her heart.

Nothing happened.

And then they heard footsteps.

"Oh no!" Hermione whispered. "We need somewhere to hide!" she said.

And then the door appeared. Ron looked at it and then at Hermione approvingly, who seemed surprised. She hadn't been thinking of the room as she had said it.

They stole through and stood in front of the door, listening out for the person. The footsteps got nearer and nearer; Ron and Hermione looked at each other, barely breathing.

And then fists pounded on the door.

"Oh dear!" Hermione breathed.

"It's not working!" said an oddly familiar voice. He seemed annoyed. Very annoyed. They waited in silence, and Ron mimicked Hermione in bringing out his own wand. But there was no need for it. Whoever it was stomped off, and they were able to breath in peace.

Hermione stepped back. "Somebody was walking around a few months ago, when Harry and I walked out… to _talk_," she said pointedly. "You don't suppose it's the same person?"

Ron just shrugged as he looked over Hermione's shoulder. Hermione didn't notice, and was busy with making sure the entrance was secure, for something to do. It was as if they had walked into Umbridge's office, or somewhere similar. The walls were an ugly pink and there were sickly adorable pictures on the wall of hearts and lovers, gazing into each other's eyes. It was worse than Bill and Fleur. There was a fire burning, but that was the least of his problems.

He felt the wand in his hand, and put himself to work, rather clumsily, but trying not to distract Hermione.

When she turned around, the room was a shade of mustard yellow, and the walls were covered in paintings that had their backs to the genera public. The fire was still there, and the love seat remained, but Ron hadn't had any time to change that. Besides, it clashed horribly with the walls.

"What did you ask it for?" he asked her curiously.

"For a place to study! What an ugly room!"

"What were you expecting?" Ron asked, joking, though he was partly wondering _what_ exactly she _had_ been expecting.

"Oh, I don't know… I like the walls more when we were in the DA. Why?"

"Oh, no reason."

There was a sofa, but neither wanted to sit down. Hermione suddenly remembered why they were there, and a horrible sensation in her stomach appeared.

"Well, um… let's talk then, shall we?"

Ron shrugged in agreement. He was too afraid to talk. He had remembered why they were here too.

"Well, then. I suppose the first thing I want to say is that I'm sorry."

Ron nodded.

"It was a rather horrible thing to do…" Hermione admitted. She had started pacing. "And also rather stupid," she added. "Could you forgive me?" she asked, stopping to look at him.

"Yeah," Ron croaked. How could he not forgive her?

"What's wrong?"

He coughed. "Nothing."

"What has Harry said about it?" she asked timidly.

Ron sighed. "Everything."

"As in… why?"

"_Everything_," he repeated.

"Oh."

Ron nodded. "Oh indeed."

"Oh, quiet!" She looked scared.

"Oh," Ron repeated, wondering if that was Hermione's favorite word. Was it even a word?

"Listen, if this makes you feel any better, I hit him, so he had to tell me."

Hermione gasped.

"He was fine about it though! He even said thank you!"

"Oh dear…"

"He was fine about it, I swear! I don't think it even hurt that much…"

"No! I mean, you know why _I_ did it!"

"Yeah. It really was a stupid reason," Ron agreed.

Hermione's face darkened with anger and surprise. "Not to a sixteen year old girl who's heart got ripped out!" Hermione said viciously. "How could you?"

She used his own words against him. She couldn't have heard him say them, but it still got to him.

"How could I?"

"You knew what I felt! I thought that you felt it too! I guess it was stupid of me to believe that we could be anything more than just friends!" she said, venom attempting to be present in every word, but failing miserably. She stood, not knowing what else to say.

"Hermione, you're not stupid," Ron said quietly. "You're underestimating yourself too much," he said a little louder. Hermione stopped trying to look intimidating as her face fell with curiosity.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked softly, once more failing to sound frightening. Curiosity punctuated every word.

"Well…" Ron started. And he decided to dive right in. "I did feel it." Hermione didn't look happy. In fact, she sighed, disappointed and sad. He _felt_ it. Ron realized that he would need to do better than that. "But I still did after… _her_," he said, deciding to not mention Lavender's name, "All through it and at the end. I feel it now, too. I felt like crap. But I didn't have much of an offer. I mean, we've been friends for so long, and I couldn't risk-"

"Our friendship?" Hermione finished. He nodded

"I don't know if you've realized this, but there's been some pretty weird stuff going on with Dumbledore, and Harry's _private_ lessons. I reckon he's going to need us soon.

He waited to see Hermione's expression. It was annoyed, then confused, then even more confused… All in all it was adorable. He wiped a rather stupid grin off of his face.

"That makes sense," Hermione finally said, and hugged him. He nodded again, happy about her finally understanding, but not planning on letting it show. Friends were good enough for him, better than what it had been for the past months. No matter what Harry had said about giving it a go and stuff. He was just going to have to live with it, and he didn't mind. He would try and control himself from reaching out to kiss her, which could be easy enough. But even now he could see the day-to-day difficulties. At that moment he was refraining from smelling her hair, breathing her in. Her arms were around his neck, her head leaning on the back of his shoulder, the rest of her body pressing against him. His arms were gently lying around and above her waist. He couldn't stand it; though it was probably just hormones (though now he sounded like his mother). This was ridiculous. He should probably break free.

But he couldn't.

They stayed there, and swayed gently. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire, the slow breathing of the couple, in each other's arms.

Ron's mind was whirring. He couldn't stand it; he was going to have to kiss her, he was weak. He didn't see how he couldn't, not when she was right there, so close. But the question was how.

But he needn't have worried, for it was Hermione who pulled away from the hug and pressed her lips against his in a more-than-just-friends embrace.

* * *

OK, funny story. I didn't know WHERE. I was reading the Deathly Hallows (spoilers for those who have not read, though if you haven't you're not worthy... kidding!, I think) and said to my brother: "I didn't know or forgot or never fully realized that Ron and Hermione kissed in the Room of Requirement," (I know, bad of me!) But then my brother said (who's thirteen and read it twice) " I didn't know that Ron and Hermione kissed."

Wow.

I laughed _so_ hard.

It was quite ironic... people have been waiting for it for ages, and some might even have the page number memorized, and my brother never knew it happened. LOL.

So, that's kind of when I just thought "Room of Requirement!"

But I'm still not sure about this one, so please review! (I didn't change it because anything else just seemed even more stupid to me).


	17. Deal With It

I'm sorry for how long it took for me to update, I conveniently fell ill in prime-writing hours. Please enjoy this chapter, though, brought to you by me! :)

* * *

Hermione slipped back into her dorm that night, trying not to awake Lavender or Pavarti, two of her dorm mates. But she failed.

She decided to use _lumos_, and as subtly as she could; it was three in the morning. But lumos didn't save her from jumping out of her skin as Lavender stood beside her bed, staring at her in a terrifying way.

"Oh dear!" Hermione gasped. Lavender nodded.

"Where are you coming from?" Lavender asked, merely a whisper. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes… I've been patrolling." Hermione was worried at how easy that lie came out. She hadn't been patrolling at all. She had been having the single most wonderful night of her life; but she didn't tell Lavender that.

"Hmm. Patrolling," Lavender repeated.

"Yes… patrolling," Hermione repeated. "And if you don't mind, I'd rather be getting to bed – oh." She caught a glance of Lavender's wand, firmly in her hand. She gulped unwillingly. "Really, that can't be necessary."

"It could be."

Hermione frowned. "No, it cannot. Please put it away and allow me to sleep."

Lavender paused, looking at Hermione.

"Do you know what I've heard?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "No, not at all."

"I've heard that you were helping Ron cheat on me," Lavender choked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What a frivolous thing to think, what are you talking about – oh, no! Don't cry!"

Lavender was in tears, on her own bed, shaking.

"Oh…" Hermione whined, going to pat Lavender on the back. She sat next to her and rubbed it. "I'm so sorry. Ron didn't cheat on you, don't feel bad."

"He still left me for you," Lavender said, failing to sound frightening.

"Oh! Well…" Hermione couldn't find anything to say to that.

"See!" Lavender shrieked. Pavarti jumped up, sweating. She seemed to have been having a nightmare. Fiona jumped too, but saw Lavender crying and rolled her eyes before putting her pillow over her head to muffle the whining. Lavender seemed not to notice.

"It's just, I really had feelings for him, you know? And then he would say that he felt bad about _Hermione_, he felt sorry for _Hermione_, _Hermione_ knows how to do my homework! Hermione Hermione Hermione!" she shrieked once more, and Pavarti steered herself out of bed.

"What is it?" she asked, voice a croak due to the early hours.

Hermione just looked at her hopelessly, but Pavarti ignored her.

"Lavender, it's Okay." She gave Hermione a venomous look, and Hermione recoiled, taken aback. But she said nothing as she made her way away from Lavender and into her own bed. What had she been thinking, staying up until three in the morning on a Monday!

And then she remembered what she had been doing and got a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

After the kiss (which had lasted… a while) they just sat, and talked, and joked. Well, Ron did most of the joking. They sat in front of the fire, Hermione lying on Ron's lap, while he played with her hair mindlessly. And then there had been more… OK, OK, it was snogging!

And it was wonderful.

She sighed as she put herself to bed, purposefully turning her back to the nervous wreck that was Lavender. She truly felt bad; partly for Lavender, and partly for herself. She hated the fact that there was someone out there who didn't like her (unless that person was a Death Eater or a Slytherin. OK, someone who was nice.) Lavender was nice. They had shared a room for six years, and had never been particularly close, but they hadn't been enemies. Hermione hated having enemies (with a shred of decency). She made it her own goal to make it up to Lavender, somehow. It wasn't Hermione's fault that Ron liked her.

This made her beam to herself in the dark.

Maybe she could talk to Ron about keeping their relationship to a minimum, no matter how much she enjoyed kissing him.

But, the idea of keeping their relationship under wraps was washed away with dawn.

Harry wasn't sure how to act around Ron and Hermione, but he didn't really have a chance to think about it. He spent the next week racking his brains as to how he was supposed to convince Slughorn to hand over the true memory.

But Ron and Hermione had been… oddly cheerful. Though that wasn't really a surprise. In fact, it wasn't odd at all. Maybe Harry had just gotten used to the constant bickering and icy glares, which was a scary thought.

The whole school had heard about it by morning (putting Hermione's plan to a dismal end), and Harry hadn't exactly been the first to hear it either. Seamus had told him before a jubilant Ron even got back, which had been rather late, now that he thought about it.  
Harry had been happy to see, however, that they were no where near as… committed as Ron and Lavender had been, or at least in public. Though committed seemed like the right word. They were trying hard not to fight, or even direct an unpleasant word at each other.

It was great.

And, since they were so _committed_ to each other, they mostly left Harry in peace to worry about the memory problem, which was mostly what he needed. But he could do with Hermione sometimes reading over his shoulder.

"You won't find anything in there," she said firmly, late on Sunday evening.

"Don't start, Hermione. Stop back-seat driving or do it yourself!"

"Driving?" Ron said randomly, intervening, happy not to be the bad guy as Hermione huffed back into her seat, and back against his arm, which he had dutifully placed there. And then he looked rather pleased. Harry smirked, but Ron ignored him. This was a plus to the shiny new Ron. He hadn't said another word about Ginny, though Hermione had convinced Harry that he would hear little about it from here on.

The three of them were sitting beside the fire in the common room; the only other people still up were fellow sixth years, who, Harry noticed, were no longer struggling with Hermione and Ron together (except for Lavender). Which made Hermione extremely uncomfortable, as Harry had noticed. He couldn't see that Ron was any less uncomfortable either. But, it had been he, Harry, who had told Ron to go for it that exact day, so it was partly his fault… his fault that Ron and Hermione were together, and so happy. That sounded good. Nice even. Actually, it sounded wonderful. Harry was awesome.

Which changed his view on Ron and Hermione's ongoing relationship drastically. But he found it easier to act as if he didn't notice, though he had told them very sternly to keep the snogging to a minimum, to which Ron answered, "Shove off," and Hermione, "Oh, shut up!" To which Harry answered with a wide grin.

And Ron was currently under the threat of Ginny 'telling mum,' which amused Harry to no end. So Ron had to treat Ginny nicely too, though with the mood he had been in for the past week, it seemed impossible to imagine Ron being any other way.

There was talk, of course, as Ron had so shortly predicted. Many people thought that Hermione and Ron had been having an affair, which the three of them tried to deny, but gave up in the end. Lavender Brown with news people wanted to hear was bigger than all of them.

"How glamorous of you, Hermione," Ginny had joked. Hermione had sneered at her, but failed to look intimidating, once more.

And Harry was fine. Life was good. Ginny and Dean were having an on/off phase, but he was optimistic. He would be fine around Ginny now, and Ron wouldn't stare daggers at him.

All was fine.

Except for Luna.

She had reminded Harry of his promise, not pushing him, but making him feel guilty about his little white lie.

So now, with he, Ron and Hermione sitting in front of the fire, his mind was on more than just Slughorn's memory.

"Stupid Luna," he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Hermione asked, and Ron immediately stopped playing with her hair.

"Nothing," was Harry's quick response.

"Oh no," Ron said. "I thought that we agreed no more secrets."

They hadn't, but Hermione still nodded in agreement.

"No, it's really nothing," Harry repeated. "I'm just talking to myself."

"Well, muttering incantations from that stupid book isn't going to help with you-know-what," Hermione scolded, and Harry quickly turned the page that held the words _Sectumsempra; for enemies, _being sneaky, since Hermione had been trying to peak once more.

"Hermione," Harry started, annoyed at having to keep on repeating this, "If it wasn't for the Prince Ron wouldn't be with us right now!"

Ron rolled his eyes.

"Way to rub it in," he commented. Harry gaped in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Ron would be alive if you had only just payed attention to Snape in our first year," Hermione said testily.

"Yeah, well, I didn't because Snape was so damn boring, so lucky for Ron I had the Prince to remind me!"

"Lucky me," Ron whispered.

"Yeah! Lucky you!" Harry said, slamming his book and standing up. And then he sighed. "I've got a lot on my mind lately, I'm sorry. And no, don't give me that look!" he said, pointing at Ron. "It has nothing to do with her!"

"Ooh, mystery woman, I see?"

Harry jumped around and found a grinning Ginny.

"Ah!" he said in a strangled voice. Ginny giggled.

"Ginny, don't you have your own friends to bug?" Ron said harshly. "Why is it you're always here? Any reason? Any particular reason? Because, if it's a person – ow!" Harry had known that it had been too good to be true. Hermione punched Ron in the ribs, seeing that it was the easiest target.

"You can stay, Ginny," she offered. "Ignore him."

"Oh, I do."

Harry gave an unwilling laugh, and then caught onto Ron's stare.

"I'm going to go to bed," he said, stifling a fake yawn. Hermione glared at Ron, and he looked guilty. Ginny frowned at them all.

"No, I'm sorry I ran into this freak show. And by freak show, I mean my brother."

She left, her red hair flowing behind her.

Harry watched, and then looked at Ron, giving him a hurt look.

"I'm going to bed," he repeated.

"Sorry," Ron mumbled after him.

"It's not us you should be sorry for!" Hermione retorted.

"Something snapped! It's not my fault!" Hermione glared at him. "OK, it kind of is, but… what was she doing here anyways?" His face fell. "You don't think-"

"Honestly, Ron! Are you blind?"

Ron grimaced. "Oh, so yeah, huh?" He now still had a hopeful look for a negative answer.

"Do you think she loves brother dearest enough to pop up randomly all over the place… _all_ week?"

"What about you? You're friends, right?"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"OK, OK! She likes him, sheesh!" he said, removing his arm. Hermione rolled her eyes again, and looked at him, as if waiting for something. Ron took a moment to realize, which he spent staring into the fire.

"What?" he asked after a blank expression. She didn't say anything, but added intensity on _the look _she was using. "_What_ do you suppose I do about it?" he asked, reading her expression.

"How about you tell him you're fine with it. _Really_. _And_ look convincing, _and_ stop hating him. every time your sister comes into view."

"God, you're a bit demanding!" he said, though his voice was friendly. He smiled at her.

"If you said that you were fine, maybe Harry could pluck up the courage to give it a go…"

"What if I don't want him to give it a go?" Hermione frowned. "He is a Gryffindor. He could just grow a set and be forever afraid of me," he said.

"Again, with the hopeful tone," Hermione teased.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to end up speaking like that permanently."

Hermione sighed. "Come on, Ron. Help your friend out. Help Harry out. He helped us."

"What? No he did not!"

"Well, what did he whisper in your ear before leaving the Great Hall?"

Ron emphatically ignored that. "If your insinuating that I go up to Harry and tell him to go after my little sister-"

"Not… go after. God, you make it sound so… savage. Oops, wrong choice of words," she said at Ron's expression. "No, wait. Not a wrong choice of words at all! Get used to it!" she said loudly. "Because it's what's there." She folded her arms pointedly. "Take it or leave it."

Ron's expression of confusion quickly dissolved, and he nodded. Hermione sighed in triumph.

"Why do I let you do this to me?" he asked her. She smiled back.

"Because you know that you love me," Hermione said playfully, inching in to kiss him.

"Ew, gross!" Both of them jumped up to find Harry behind them, holding his quill, which he had obviously came back to get. He was smiling widely.

"Harry!" Ron shouted, annoyed, reaching for a cushion and throwing it at him, which just led Harry to a fit of laughter as he ascended the stairs again. Hermione was laughing too. "That's an invasion of privacy!" Ron said pathetically.

"We're in the common room, Ronald," Hermione reminded him, making up for this kiss Ron had just missed. Well, she had missed it too.

* * *

Please review! I promise it'll stop being so gooey, poor Harry! ;)


	18. After The Burial Part 1

"Oh, hey Hermione!"

"Hello Luna!" Hermione said happily.

"I'm very happy for you," Luna said in a dreamy voice. "And Ron."

Hermione smiled. "Oh, thank you," she said, but then pulled a sorry face. "But I'm really sorry if this might appear rude or anything, but I really have to-"

"Why are you following Ginny?"

Hermione froze, and then sighed.

"Is it really that obvious?" she asked resignedly. Luna shook her head.

"No, not at all."

Hermione frowned, but let it go. "OK. I suppose you're wondering why I'm doing such a thing, but-"

"You want Harry and her to be together, like you and Ron," Luna said. Hermione stared at her.

"Well… yes," she said, eyebrows raised.

"I want the same," Luna said, "but it's really none of my business."

Hermione took this as an insult, and looked indignant. "Oh, I'm not being nosey-"

"Well, you are," Luna said dreamily, and Hermione looked even more offended. "But I don't mind. I think it's nice."

"Oh," Hermione said, her frown dissolving. "OK…"

"I suppose Ron is following Harry?"

"Well, he doesn't need to. They're friends," Hermione pointed out.

"Ginny is very friendly," Luna said. "She stops people from calling me names. They do that, you see. People do."

Hermione suddenly felt really bad for Luna. She herself hadn't been one to pick on her, but she certainly hadn't been exactly as kind as she had been to anyone else.

"You and Ginny should be friends," Luna said, starting to walk. Hermione hesitated before following.

"Well, we are." They had been. After spending the summer at The Burrow together, Ginny had become Hermione's closest female friends. But she wasn't right now. Hermione had had a feeling that she and Ginny would become friends, but it really wasn't so.

"I thought you would really be friends though," Luna said.

"So did I," Hermione said sadly.

"So why aren't you?"

"What? Oh, I don't know."

"Well, why don't you just go and talk to her?"

Hermione sighed. Luna did point out the obvious, but Hermione wasn't exactly sociable. And, after being with the person Ginny liked for a nearly half a year, Hermione understood that friendship would be the last thing Ginny wanted with her right now.

"I know what you're thinking," Luna continued dreamily. Hermione raised inquisitive eyebrows. Luna smiled. "You think that Ginny doesn't want to be your friend."

Hermione let out a little gasp.

"I'm good at reading people," Luna said happily. "That's how I know who doesn't like me, so I don't waste their time by being around them." Hermione gave her a sympathetic look. "Oh, I don't mind," Luna reassured her.

Hermione stayed uneasy.

"Oh, wait, there she is," Luna suddenly said. "Ginny!" She waved her arms, causing sniggers amongst the students in the hall. Hermione shot them all icy glares, and they immediately quieted.

"Hello Luna, Hermione," Ginny greeted them, tearing herself away from her classmates.

"Hello, Ginny," Luna said dreamily. "We were just talking about you." Ginny looked at Hermione, who nodded.

"How strange, right?" Hermione laughed nervously.

"Yes…" Ginny said. "What were you saying?"

And then Hermione remembered the purpose of her being near Ginny in the first place.

"Oh, we were just saying that… Harry's become a bit of a third wheel around Ron and I," Hermione said, giving Luna a significant look, though Luna just smiled dreamily. "And I feel really sorry for him. So, as his friend, I was hoping to find someone he might like."

"Luna?" Ginny asked, confused.

"Oh, no!" Hermione said. "No offence," she added. Luna shook her head. _None taken_. "Well, we were discussing that Harry might gain from someone like… you," she said, signaling at Ginny, who laughed.

"Oh, I get it."

"You do?"

"Ron's upset about me and Dean, and he's trying to set me up."

"Oh, no! Ron has nothing to do with this! It's all me."

Ginny laughed again. "So what makes you think that he would be Okay with his little sister going out with his best friend?" And then her face fell. "Not like I would consider it, though!" she quickly added. Luna and Hermione exchanged smug glances. "Dean and I are still together, so, thanks for the concern. Why me, anyways?" She paused. "Did Harry say anything?"

"Well, maybe," Hermione said. Ginny suppressed a smile. And then she caught the smug glances again.

"What?" she demanded.

"Oh, nothing," Luna said happily, and Ginny couldn't argue with Luna. Luna always told the truth.

"Nothing," Hermione agreed seriously, and she and Luna started to walk away together, talking amicably.

"Something's wrong," Ginny said to herself as she looked at this picture.

* * *

"So, mate. We've agreed that you… _like_ my sister…"

Harry rolled his eyes, he couldn't help it.

"… and that she might like you."

Harry's stomach leapt; although Hermione had been telling him the same thing for a while, it was funny to hear it from Ron's mouth.

"And that I haven't really been the best about it."

"No, you haven't," Harry agreed. Ron ignored it.

"So, I thought that I should say that I'm fine with it."

Harry snorted.

"No, really!" Ron said.

"Hermione put you up to this, didn't she?"

"What? No! How – no! This is all me," he said, pointing at himself. Harry looked at him, wondering. Ron seized the moment in which he had Harry's attention. "I'm really Okay with it, OK?"

"OK," Harry smirked.

"Really!" Ron said as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast. "To show you how fine I am with it, go and flirt with her!"

Harry stared at him. Ron looked dead serious.

"I don't _flirt_, Ron."

"No wonder you haven't had a girlfriend."

Harry gave him a stern look worthy of Hermione.

"What? It's true! Now go and flirt with my sister, and I'll prove to you that I'm fine with it!"

Harry hoped that nobody heard this conversation, though no one seemed to notice.

"Go!" Ron pushed him and Harry stumbled.

"Ow! And no! I don't flirt!" he hissed between clenched teeth.

"Yes – you – do!" Ron said, pushing Harry between words, until Harry stopped once more.

"What's Hermione doing talking to her?" he asked as he saw Hermione and Ginny sitting side by side, talking. Hermione was looking rather smug, and Harry suspected the worst.

"They're friends," Ron said, trying to sound convincing.

"They're friendly, not friends," Harry said, frowning.

"What?" Ron asked. "They were friends at my place! Why can't they be friends now?"

Harry contemplated it. Hermione and Ginny could be friends. But, he should know, really. He had been spending the past five months with Hermione, and he had never seen either of them in the same place. The only times he wasn't with Hermione, she was studying, and Ginny would be in the common room. When he had Quidditch practice, Hermione would be studying, but Ginny would be out on the field, with the team. So it didn't add up.

"Why so all of a sudden?" he asked Ron. Ron shrugged.

"I dunno."

Harry wasn't sure what to think.

"Wait, why do you want me to flirt with Ginny?"

"I don't. I mean, I do. Go on," he said, pushing Harry again.

"Stop it! She's still with Dean, you know."

"What about Dean?"

Harry rolled his eyes, and made to sit down. But as he sat down, he was even more confused; Hermione and Ginny were laughing; together.

"Oh, hello Harry!" Hermione said, gasping for breath.

Harry blinked. He wasn't used to Hermione laughing, with a girl. Though it was a bit selfish of him to assume that Hermione didn't want female friends.

"Hi, Harry," Ginny said, blushing.

Why was she blushing?

Harry didn't doubt that Hermione had something to do with that, because of the innocent expression she now wore. Too innocent.

Harry frowned at her, but her expression was non-changing. He looked at Ron, to see if he was catching this, but Ron shoved him again.

Harry looked at him, disbelieving. He looked at Ginny, to see if she was catching this, but she was busy staring at her food.

Great, it was second year all over again.

Wait; that was a good thing.

Ron and Hermione saw that they were goggling at each other like idiots, and the smiled secretly at each other.

* * *

_Patches of blue sky were beginning to appear all over the castle turrets, but theses signs of approaching summer did not lift Harry's mood. He had been thwarted, both in his attempts to find out what Malfoy was doing, and in his efforts to start a conversation with Slughorn that might lead, somehow, to Slughorn handing over the memory he had suppressed for decades._

Ron and Hermione were both cramming over their Apparition test that would take place that afternoon when Harry got a letter from Hagrid, informing them that Aragog did.

_Dear Harry, Ron and Hermione,_

_ Aragog died last night. Harry and Ron, you met him, and you know how special he was. Hermione, I know you'd have liked him. It would mean a lot to me if you'd nip down for the burial later this evening. I'm planning on doing it around dusk, that was his favorite time of day. I know you're not supposed to be out that late, but you can use the Cloak. Wouldn't ask but I can't face it alone._

_Hagrid._

Hermione argued the fact that security was tighter than ever; if it were a question of saving Aragog, she'd try and go. Ron disagreed. If it was a question of saving Aragog, he'd want to go less.

"Look," Hermione said, "Potions will be almost empty this afternoon, with us all off doing our tests, try and soften Slughorn up a bit then!"

"Fifty-seventh time lucky, you think?" Harry said bitterly.

"Lucky," Ron said suddenly. For a moment, Harry thought that he was just trying to interrupt another fight between him and Hermione by spouting out random words; he had been doing that a lot lately. "Harry, that's it! Get lucky!"

Harry frowned. "Huh?"

"Use your lucky potion!"

"Ron, that's - that's it!" said Hermione, stunned. "Of course! Why didn't I think of it?"

"Felix Felicis?" Harry asked, staring at them both. "I dunno... I was kind of saving it..."

"What for?" asked Ron.

"What on earth is more important than this memory?" asked Hermione.

Harry did not answer. He had had many plans for the little gold bottle... Ron squirmed uncomfortably, understanding. Hermione looked ashamed for asking, but how could she have known?

"OK," Harry said, before it got worse. "I'll give it a go this evening, if it doesn't work at Potions, I mean."

"that's it then," Hermione said happily, standing up and preforming a graceful pirouette. "Destination... determination... deliberation..."

"Oh, stop that!" Ron said. He was feeling queasy enough at it was. "Quick, hide me!" he said suddenly as a group of girls came out to the Courtyard.

"It isn't Lavender," Harry chuckled to himself.

"Cool," Ron said, straitening up. "Blimey, they don't look happy either."

"Ron, they're the Montgomery sisters," Hermione said gravely. "Didn't you hear what had happened to their brother?"

"No... I'm loosing track of everybody else's relatives, to be honest," Ron said.

"He was attacked by a werewolf," Hermione said. "Their mother refused to help the Death Eaters... he was only five."

"Was?" Ron asked. Harry felt a horrible sinking sensation in his stomach.

"He died in St. Mungo's, they couldn't save him," Hermione said.

Harry looked at the the girls; they looked horrified. Sad. Like their world was falling apart. And Harry couldn't help but think that this was _his_ fault. And then Hermione voiced his thoughts.

"Harry, you've got to get this memory," she said. "It's all about stopping Voldemort, isn't it? This is all his fault..."

Harry couldn't help but feel a great weight, weighing him down. It had been there before, but now it was worse than ever.

He could think about Ginny, if he wanted to. But, at the end of the day, it really was all down to him. He should have more important things on his mind than _girls_ -

The bell rang over head in the castle and Hermione and Ron jumped up, terrified.

"You'll do fine," Harry said, though not sounding confident at all. "Good luck," he said gloomily. Hermione watched him, worried.

"You too, Harry," she said significantly.

As she and Ron walked away, muttering the three D's, she knew that something had changed.

* * *

This chapter was a bit dark. But, do you know why?

I didn't get many reviews. OK, I got 1.

Next chapter is Felix, which can be fun. But, someone might die if reviews are scarce. Not Lavender, by the way. Someone like Harry. And I'm not kidding.

Yeah, this is kind of drastic. I might not even mean it, deep down. But right now I do.

:'( - I'm sad again.


	19. After The Burial Part 2

I'm sorry about the last chapter. You know, the killing bit. Hehe. I was just having a real bad day, which had to do with these stupid things the dentist put in my teeth. And I have to put a stupid rubber band in and it took forever and it was really annoying because I kept on sending them flying all over the room and now I find some in the sofa... and yeah, it could be worse, I could have braces. I mean, I still look good ;) But it still sucks. I had no idea I needed them that day either. The dentist just said "What about we do them now?" and then she whistled in my mouth and her breath smelt but I couldn't say a thing... blablabla. It wasn't a good day, and my 1 review didn't help.

But thanks a lot! Your new reviews made me feel a lot better, you guys are awesome. No, you guys are totally awesome! :D

I got the most reviews in ANY of my stories! (By 1)

So, this is a chapter dedicated to you guys before I leave for five days; I wanted to leave you with something, even if it isn't long. And no, no one dies.

:D

Amy.

* * *

Harry made it through an hour and a half of potions, but didn't get anything from Slughorn other than the approval of the potion that Harry had cooked up to get on Slughorn's sunny side. The only upside to the afternoon was seeing Malfoy looking terrible. Malfoy hadn't been as happy or proud as he had been on the train, when he had been bragging about a special task. So Harry guessed that the task wasn't going very well.

Hermione and Ron didn't return until late afternoon, and Hermione was looking exultant.

"Harry!" She said, running up to him. "I passed! I passed!" she said, jumping up and down on the spot, beaming.

"Excellent," Harry said, though he didn't feel it. "How 'bout Ron?"

"Oh…" Hermione said, face falling.

Ron came through the port hole, not looking as happy as Hermione had been. In fact he looked the complete opposite.

"Well," Hermione said hesitantly, "The examiner spotted a tiny thing… a bit unlucky-"

"Half an eyebrow!" Ron said, joining them. "Half an eyebrow!" he repeated. "Ridiculous," he then muttered moodily, and Hermione rubbed his back soothingly.

"How did it go with Slughorn?" she asked.

"No joy," Harry said.

They waited until after dinner, when Ron was feeling considerably better after they had been insulting the examiner, to start the plan.

Seeing as Dean, Neville and Seamus were all in the common room, Ron, Harry and Hermione went up to the boy's dorm.

"OK, I don't think I'll need all twelve hours worth. Two or three should do it," Harry said as he unraveled an old sock revealing the gleaming little bottle. Hermione agreed with him. "OK… here goes," he said, taking a carefully measured gulp from the tiny bottle.

Hermione and Ron watched, waiting.

"What does it feel like?" Hermione whispered.

Harry didn't answer for a second. Then, a feeling of utmost happiness overcome him; he felt that he could do anything… Slughorn's memory didn't seem hard, but extremely easy. Ideas of what else to do rushed through his mind, and then he remembered Hermione's question.

He got to his feet, smiling widely.

"Excellent. Really excellent," he answered. Ron and Hermione watched him, still worried. "Right… I'm going down to Hagrid's."

"What?" they said together.

"Harry," Hermione said, "you need to go and get that memory from Slughorn."

"Yeah… but, I have this good feeling about going to Hagrids."

"You've got a good feeling about burying a giant spider?" Ron asked, looking stunned.

"Yup," Harry said happily. "I feel like it's the place to be tonight, you know what I mean?"

"No," said Ron and Hermione together, looking alarmed. Harry laughed, and Hermione turned to Ron.

"This is Felix Felicis, I suppose?" she whispered to him. "Not-"

"Essence of Insanity?" Ron supplied. Harry beamed at them as he swung his Cloak over his shoulders.

"Trust me," he said, "I know what I'm doing. Or at least, Felix does."

Hermione and Ron both blinked.

Harry laughed again and pulled the Cloak over his head. Ron and Hermione followed him once they saw the door open, and ran down the stairs after him.

But, as Harry skillfully passed an ascending Lavender Brown, Ron crashed right into her. Harry was happy not to be a part of that awkward party.

"What where you doing up there with her?" Lavender was asking.

"Lav, we're dating now-"

And Lavender broke into tears and ran upstairs. Harry was extremely thankful to be invisible as Hermione stammered her apologies, for no real reason.

Getting out of the common room was easy because Dean and Ginny were coming through. On his way out, he brushed on her lightly.

"Dean! I do not need help to get through!" Harry heard, and then a few remarks from Dean.

He smiled to himself in his invisible haven. For some strange reason, he decided it better to stay outside the portrait hole for a while.

And then, Ginny came back out, without Dean. He wasn't shouting after her either. She was wiping her eyes.

A feeling told Harry to take off the cloak. So he did.

"Hey Ginny."

Ginny jumped, and immediately tried to wipe away the rest of her tears.

"Harry! Where did you come from?"

"The common room."

Ginny studied him, frowning.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking a walk. How are you?"

"Oh…" Ginny was quiet. "I think me and Dean just broke up."

There was a silence, in which Harry nodded knowingly. Ginny looked at the floor.

"So, do you want to hang out?"

Ginny looked up.

"Huh?"

"I mean, not now. I've got to have a walk… but some other time, like… a date."

Harry didn't feel embarrassed. He had asked because Felix was telling him to. And he needn't worry, because Felix knew it all.

"Wha – I – "

"Another time then, maybe," Harry said, giving her a cheery wave and turning the corner, putting the cloak on once more, happily; because Felix told him to.

"Okay…" Ginny said, standing there, confused. Hermione had been right? Who cared? Harry Potter had asked her out! It had been a bit strange though.

She took a deep breath and went back into the common room.

"I'm going to get dizzy if you have me swinging back a forth all night," the Fat Lady complained, but Ginny ignored her. Once in the common room, she scanned it for her bushy haired friend. Oh, there she was. With her red-haired brother. Closely.

"Hermione!" she said, clapping her hands in their faces, causing them to jump apart.

"What was that for?" Ron asked. "You're as bad as Harry!"

Ginny rolled her eyes and ignored him. "Hermione, I need to talk to you."

"What about?" Hermione asked politely.

"Alone," Ginny said pointedly. Ron gave Hermione a worried look, but Hermione brushed it away with a wave of her hand.

"Sure," she said, standing up and evening out her skirt. They went to a corner of the common room, leaving Ron playing chess with Seamus.

"I think Dean and I broke up," Ginny said.

"Oh!" Hermione said, sympathy flooding her features. "I'm so sorry! When?"

"A minute ago. It just happened." She shrugged.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Hermione said again.

Ginny nodded. "But, that's not the problem." Hermione looked confused. "Harry-"

Hermione was now beaming.

"What?" Ginny demanded.

"Nothing," Hermione said, forcing herself to stop smiling.

Ginny waited, but then Hermione signaled for her to continue. "Harry… asked me out," Ginny said slowly. Hermione didn't look happy, angry, surprised… she looked confused.

"When?"

"A minute ago."

"I thought that you broke up with Dean a minute ago."

"I did! But this was a minute ago; Dean was now two minutes ago."

Hermione scrunched up her face, to concentrate. "So… he asked you-"

"When he got out of the common room."

"Oh, did he now?" Hermione said, frowning.

"Why, what is it?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Ginny waited, tapping her finger emphatically, and Hermione gave up. "He… he said that he was feeling lucky tonight…" she said slowly, "And that he was going to follow his instinct," she finished, rather proud at how that had came out. Hermione didn't like lying… so she didn't. Not really.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ginny asked.

"He said that he was going to follow his heart," Hermione clarified, smiling.

Ginny looked thoughtful. "Hmm… how does that involve a walk?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What did you say?" she asked eagerly, ignoring the last part.

"Well…" Ginny turned red. "I didn't. I mean, I didn't answer. I kind of just stood there… I mean, I just broke up with Dean!"

"I know." Hermione looked angry. "It was a bit insensitive of him."

"He's a boy," Ginny said. "They're not very sensitive at all."

"Are you defending him?" Hermione asked with a coy smile.

"No! It's just true."

Hermione nodded. "So, what did he do?"

"He just said, 'another time then, maybe'. He was smiling," she added. Hermione let out a little laugh.

"Yes, he's very… smiley tonight, isn't he?" she said fondly.

"Hermione," Ginny suddenly said. "If you still have feelings for him-"

Hermione burst out into laughter, causing a few heads to turn.

"No, I don't!" she said, wiping her eyes from the tears her laughter was causing her. "No… it's fine," she said, giggling. Hermione didn't giggle. But Ginny didn't want to press.

"So, what do I do?"

"Well…" Hermione thought. "I'm not one for advice, but from TV, I'd guess I'd say-"

"What's TV?"

"Never mind. From… observing, I'd say… do you want to say yes, or not?"

"No. I mean yes. I mean no. I don't know!"

Hermione smiled.

"I don't know," Ginny repeated. "I mean, in my first year…" she started smiling to, but saw that Hermione was too, so she stopped.

"Ginny…" Hermione said, putting her hand on hers. "Ron doesn't care."

"What? Oh, I don't care about him… wait. How does Ron know enough not to care?"

Hermione paused. "Well, it's kind of obvious -" Ginny looked panicked, "- that he's got feelings for you."

"What? No it isn't."

"Listen, Ginny…" Hermione took a deep breath. "Our break up was mutual. We both had our own reasons. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but… his was you," she whispered. Now Ginny laughed.

"No it wasn't."

Hermione looked hurt. "Yes, it was."

"No, it's wasn't."

"It was!"

"Was not!"

"Was to!"

"No, it wasn't."

"OK then, fine! Don't believe me. But it was."

And with that Hermione stood up and went over to watch Ron defeat Seamus, leaving Ginny sitting there, smile fading.

Was it?

* * *

PS-Just because the dentist caused the maybe character death, it doesn't mean if you guys don't review it'll be fine again.

;)

Besides, no more until I get to 100.

*laughs evily*


	20. Sectumsempra Part 1

OK, I've been on holiday, my teeth feel all better, I've dyed by hair purple, and the new One Night Only album came out, so I am happy! Here's a new chapter :D

* * *

The next day, Harry told Ron and Hermione everything of the meeting with Dumbledore during Charm, having first cast _Muffliato_. Ron was amazed.

"Wow…" he said, "you're actually going… to try and destroy… wow."

Hermione sighed. "Ron, you're making it snow," she said patiently.

"Oh, yeah… sorry. It looks like we've all got horrible dandruff now…" he said, brushing some of the fake snow off Hermione's shoulder. Lavender Brown burst into tears from a neighboring table, and both Hermione and Ron looked immediately guilty.

"Miss Brown, are you OK?" was heard.

"Oh!" Hermione said suddenly. "Ginny and Dean broke up last night." She watched for Harry's reaction.

"Oh…" he said, looking guilty. She smiled.

"What?" Ron demanded.

"Well…" Harry said, "Felix Felicis is a real funny potion…"

"I don't see how where you're going could be remotely funny," Ron said.

"Oh, Ronald, it was nothing like that," Hermione said.

"How do you know what I'm thinking of?"

"It's pretty obvious," Hermione said, matter-of-factly. Harry nodded, and Ron grunted. "Ginny told me," she explained to Harry, trying not to laugh, but failing to stifle a giggle.

Ron looked back up. "Told you what?" he demanded even more loudly.

Flitwick looked to the back of the class, and what he saw was rather curious; three students were having a rather heated argument without the need of words. It was as if somebody had turned off the sound, or something along those lines.

"Potter! Weasley! Granger!" The three of them looked at him, surprised. "Enough of your… chit chat," he said uncertainly.

"_He could hear us_?" Ron whispered.

"Potter, switch places with Finnigan." Harry looked and saw that to Seamus' immediate right sat Dean. Ron watched him with sympathy. "Granger, switch places with Patil."

Hermione groaned, staring at the heap of tears that was Lavender.

"Flitwick's as bad as Snape when he wants to be," Harry whispered to Hermione as they got up.

"Oh, I don't think he knows that he's putting us in awkward situations," Hermione said, packing her books bag into her bag, a grimace upon her face. Flitwick went back to his papers on his desk, not waiting for them to switch places.

Ron chuckled to himself, having heard Harry and Hermione's conversation, and Flitwick looked back up at him. "Think it's funny, do you Weasley? Granger, sit back down!" he barked. Hermione sat back down quickly, surprised, her bag on her lap. Ron winced for what was coming. "Weasley, switch with Patil."

Ron groaned, and Flitwick looked rather pleased with himself. Harry laughed to himself as he sat down next to Dean, and made sure that Flitwick didn't see.

"Now, Potter! Let's see how far you've gotten," Flitwick ordered as soon as Harry had his flask on the table in front of him, not bothering with Hermione. She had successfully turned her vinegar into wine. Harry stared at his flask and concentrated hard; but all he got was ice. Dean looked sympathetic; if he had an ounce of an idea of what Harry had done last night… Harry shuddered and chose not to think of it.

"Weasley?" Flitwick asked, turning his gaze to the other side of the classroom. Ron had been eyeing Lavender fearfully, and was sitting as far away from her as the desk would let him.

"OK," he jumped. His flask exploded. Lavender jumped, and seemed suddenly aware of Ron's presence. She stopped sobbing, and tried to look important. Hermione _hmphed_ into her book that she was taking out.

"Mph," said Flitwick, and went back to his papers, his orders clear though unsaid. _Practice_.

Harry started prodding his glass of ice with his wand.

"It's dead difficult," Dean whispered, doing the same.

"Huh? Yeah." He chanced a look at Ron and grinned to himself. Ron looked as if he was ready to jump out of his chair at a moment's warning, and Lavender did look fearful.

Dean laughed with him. "That's got to be awkward…" he said, turning back to his flask; but now he was tapping it even less animatedly.

"Hey," Harry started, and Dean looked up. "Nothing," he said, chickening out.

"No prob," Dean said. "I know… you've heard about me and Ginny, and you want to know if your Quidditch team is safe."

Harry blinked. He had been angling more along the lines of 'sorry, though you don't know what for, and you probably never will'.

"Um… yeah? Is that insensitive?"

"Nah, I don't blame you. I think I'll be able to manage," Dean said, laying his head in his arms and staring at the glass, as if thinking that that would work, even though his wand was pointing at the ceiling. "Ask Ginny about her, though. Then again, she ended it, so it's got to be better, right?"

Harry stared at him. He had never seen Dean like this.

"Right," he managed to cough out.

"Hm…" Dean said, though he didn't sound thoughtful at all.

"Right," Harry repeated, turning back to his flask, feeling really lousy.

It was a relief when the bell rang.

"I've always like Pavarti," Hermione said as they got out, "But I think she wants to kill me," she said in all seriousness. Ron caught up with them.

"Oh God. Am I hurt? Is anything wrong with me _at all_?"

Harry and Hermione stared at him up and down.

"Nah, I think you're fine," Harry said, grinning. Ron, however, was not amused.

"How could she hurt you without you noticing?" Hermione asked, curious.

"I. Don't. Know," Ron said, expression stone. "But I bet she could…" he then muttered. Hermione smirked. "What, so it was all sunshine and daisies for you then, I see?"

Hermione stopped smirking. "Not at all. I thought Pavarti didn't like me much anymore – we share a dorm – but now I think she really hates me," she said sullenly. "I don't like people hating me."

"Well, then, you're out of luck," Harry said, watching Pansy glare at Hermione as she walked past. Hermione straightened up.

"Oh, I don't care about _them_," she said, waving her hand. "But Pavarti's nice…"

"Not towards you, though," Ron pointed out.

"Exactly," Hermione sulked. Ron shrugged.

"Harry, are you going to tell me what you did?"

He seemed less angry.

"I didn't do anything, not really…"

Ron gave him a very Hermione-ish look. Harry stammered for words.

"He asked her out," Hermione said, joining the conversation once more, looking extremely smug now.

"_What_?"

"Felix told me to!" Harry said in his defense as Ron looked at him, disbelieving. "I couldn't _not_ do it!"

"What did she say?" Ron asked Hermione with a grimace, but Hermione just moved along; Harry assumed that it was to get them to talk.

"She didn't," Harry said. Ron looked at him and Harry shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea!"

"Well, it wasn't, was it?" Ron said.

Harry shrugged again. "I don't know. Felix was right about everything else…"

Both boys realized that Hermione was walking ahead of them, but she had a wide smile on her face. They both ran up to her, one on either side.

"What did she say to you?" they asked in unison. Hermione just smiled wider.

"You're not going to say, are you?" Ron said. Hermione shrugged, still smiling. "C'mon, 'Mione..."

"You're being nosey. It's Ginny's business-"

"So you shouldn't have said anything in the first place!" Ron said, shaking his head. He was right; now Hermione was just out to drive Harry crazy.

When they got into the common room, Harry was just about to ask for her alone, when Hermione cried, "Katie! You're back! Are you OK?"

Harry stared. It was Katie. And her arrival had helped Hermione get out of it… Hmph.

As soon as Katie had gone, Hermione had excused herself from the free period to study; something both Harry and Ron knew was a lie. Hermione liked the rare hour in which they all had a free; so she was just trying to get away. Besides, as soon as she stepped into the Girl's dormitory, they couldn't follow.

"I wonder what Ginny said…" Ron thought aloud as he played with his wand.

"Could we… shut up about that for a while?" Harry pleaded, feeling extremely embarrassed, and, at the same time, annoyed and curious. Ron looked reluctant to let it go, but shrugged either way.

"Let's practice that wine thing," he offered.

But their plans where cut short at a scream.

"Hermione!" Ron said at once. Harry had come to the same conclusion. They both jumped back up from the couch and rushed towards the Girl's Stairs. But there was some sort of invisible gateway that wouldn't let them pass.

"_No boys_," an amplified woman's voice scolded. Ron stomped his foot, rather like a seven-year-old.

"Hermione!" he shouted. Harry looked desperately around the common room for a girl.

"Why isn't there a girl when you need one?" he said, annoyed. But at that moment Hermione came rushing out and fell right on top of him. "Arrggg!" he said, and Hermione was quick to stand back up and brush herself off.

"'Mione!" Ron said. "What the-"

"It's Lavender!" Hermione gasped. "She hexed me, but I got her back! I didn't mean to, I didn't know who it was!"

"How is she?" Harry asked feverishly, standing up. "I mean, you seem fine…"

"I'M NOT FINE!" Hermione suddenly shouted. "Look at my hair!" she whined.

"Oh… sorry…" Harry said, realizing that Hermione's hair was twice as bushy. She made a face.

"Lavender's fine… Well, no she's not… I used the Jelly-Legs Jinx on her! It was the first thing that popped into my head…"

"D'you think she knows the counter-curse?" Ron asked.

"I don't know, do I?" Hermione near enough shrieked, running to the nearest window to check her reflection, running her fingers through her hair.

"What did she do?" Harry asked, curious.

"Oh, I don't know! I think it was supposed to be painful… it felt like I was being electrocuted, but not as bad… maybe it was a poor blasting charm…" she whined.

"Electro-what-ed?" Ron asked, but Harry ignored him.

"Someone should really go and she if she's OK."

"Pavarti was with her…" Hermione said, tapping her head with her wand, muttering various encantations.

"Good," Ron said. Harry frowned at him. "Now we can get out of here," Ron said. Harry's eyebrows were raised now. "What? She's bonkers! If she did that to Hermione, what do you think she'll do to me?"

Harry just blinked at him.

"Oh, alright," Ron muttered, gulping.

"Here," Hermione said, coming back over to them and walking through the first door with Ron ("I'm inviting you, so you're allowed in"), giving him a kiss on the cheek, whispering good luck and emerging once more to wait with Harry.

The two stood in silence, casting sideways glances at each other.

Harry rocked on the balls of his feet and put his hands in his pockets. Hermione kept on tapping her hair.

"Do you think Madam Pomfrey could fix this?" she asked feebly.

Harry laughed, and Ron emerged.

Hermione gasped and ran up to him. "Are you Okay?" she asked, moving his head from side to side, as she had Harry earlier that year.

"'M Okay," Ron grunted, and Hermione let go. "She says that she won't curse you again… but I had to do something."

Hermione waited.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Set her up on a date," Ron mumbled.

Harry laughed.

"Who's the lucky guy?" he asked, laughing. Ron looked at Harry. Harry's face fell.

"No…" he said slowly. "No thanks," he said louder. "Not really, no."

And then Ron burst into laughter. Harry blinked, and hit him, half-playfully, half… not.

"Honestly, Ron, that wasn't funny!" Hermione said, for Harry's own good, though she couldn't help but smile.

"That was horrible!" Harry said.

But they needn't have said a thing, because Ron was laughing to hard to take any notice.

"It's a Hufflepuff bloke…" he said, breathing slowly, trying to keep a straight face. "Sorry mate. But your face was priceless!" And with that he started laughing again.

He didn't notice Harry and Hermione look at each other, and leave without him.

"Do you think they'd let us in the kitchens again?" Harry asked casually. "I'm starving."

"Ron will be upset if you go without him…" Hermione said. They stopped at the portrait and looked back at Ron, who was still laughing.

"You're right," Harry said, and left Hermione in the common room with a jubilant Ron.

He walked happily down the corridor, and then realized that he had just thrown away alone time with Hermione, in which he could have got vital information.

"Crap," he said, kicking the floor. He reluctantly turned around. He didn't want to go to the kitchens anyways.

* * *

Oh, and I got over 100 reviews! Yay! You guys are awesome, thanks to every single one of you! It's a great number! :D

But I still want more.

So, review.

:)


	21. Sectumsempra Part 2

I don't have time for a long author's note, so I guess what I need to say is that this fic is nearly done (and it's gonna feel really weird once it's finished) and... please review this chapter! Super nervous about this one here!

* * *

Hermione, however, said nothing. No matter how hard Harry pressed, she wouldn't budge. In fact, in the end, she had gotten rather angry, and refused to talk to Harry for an entire day. Ron gave Harry an 'I tried to tell you' look. Harry answered him with a 'no, you didn't you prat' look.

Ginny avoided Harry's gaze in the corridors, and during Quidditch practice she obeyed him but never commented on his tactics unless "They suck."

Dean had been ignoring Harry all week because Katie was back and replaced him on the team, which Harry honestly thought was for the best, though he didn't say anything.

"So, any more news on the," Ron mouthed the word _horcruxes_. Harry rolled his eyes. It was typical Ron trying to make conversation.

"Honestly, Ron, you shouldn't talk about that here!" Hermione whispered. They were sitting by the lake, enjoying the little sun that had come out for the Friday afternoon. Hermione had had her head buried in a book, and Harry was surprised at her sudden involvement in the conversation. And then he had a suspicion at Ron making the conversation to distract Hermione from her book. He had obviously been bored, poking a worm with the tip of his wand until he had accidentally set it on fire.

"Everyone's occupied," he said lightly. Hermione slammed her book shut.

"Since you're not going to let me read here," she said, standing up, "I'm-"

"Going to the library," Harry and Ron chanted.

With a "Hmph!" she swung around and stomped back up to the castle.

Harry looked at Ron, and he shrugged.

"What was that for?" Harry asked.

"I'm bored," Ron said. Harry raised his eyebrows. Ron surrendered. "Okay, Okay! I wanted to talk about The Prince. D'ya think he could help me with my potions homework?"

Harry grinned and passed the book he had been scanning over to Ron.

"If Hermione finds out, she'll kill me," Ron chuckled.

"Not to mention me. I'm a bad influence on her favorite boy," Harry taunted. Ron's ears turned red as he opened the book, and he was obviously trying hard to ignore what Harry had just said.

Harry smirked to himself and picked up a leaf and started to rip it, bit by bit… his mind was somewhere else, the same place it had been during the whole week. Had Felix been wrong?

"Harry. Harry. _Oi, Harry_!" Harry jumped awake, and Ron pointed behind the tree Harry had been leaning (or sleeping) on. A certain red-head was walking towards them purposefully towards them. "Lazy git," Ron muttered.

Harry immediately stood up and brushed himself off self consciously, without entirely knowing why. He heard Ron smirk from the floor, but ignored him.

"Hi, Harry," Ginny said.

"I – uh – hi."

Ron smirked again.

"I've decided to accept," Ginny said.

"Wha – huh?"

Ron smirked again.

"The date," Ginny said.

"Oh, right. I – um –" he coughed. "Yeah, cool."

Ron made a horrible strangled noise, and choked a bit.

"Cool," Ginny said, and before she left she stuck her tongue out at her brother, who was still coughing.

When Ron finally managed to stop coughing, Harry had a dazed expression, and a stupid grin on his face.

Ron, however, far from being pissed, spent the whole way back up to the castle laughing and making fun of Harry.

"'I – um – I just – uh… yeah, cool,'" he said, again and again. "Merlin, that was priceless. I should have agreed to this months ago, would have made my life much easier!"

Harry, however, didn't care, and let Ron to talk to himself as Harry thought about what had happened, and how much he appreciated everyone right now, and how great life was… he felt as if he had just taken Felix again. Which he hadn't. Because that would be stupid.

Naturally, the whole school had heard about it by dinner time, and Hermione was one of the first to know. She came running down the stairs, looking giddy.

"Harry! I heard-"

"Who hasn't?" Ron interrupted, and Hermione gave him an icy glare, which he ignored.

"That's probably why Dean won't look at me…" Harry said thoughtfully.

"You should have seen him," Ron said to Hermione, pointing at Harry. "It was hilarious." Hermione looked at Harry sympathetically, but Harry shrugged.

"It was kind of funny," he admitted. Ron laughed.

"Kind of? He just stood there! 'I – um – uh…' You choked so bad," he said.

"So did you," Harry reminded him.

"Oh, yeah. Well, it was funny, watching you there…"

"Oh, leave him alone," Hermione scolded.

"Really, Hermione, I don't mind."

But, by the end of dinner, however, it was pretty annoying.

"Would you just _shut up_!" Harry exploded. Ron gave him a hurt expression and Hermione gave Ron an 'I told you so' look. This time, nobody could argue that Hermione had, indeed, told him so.

Ron scowled and stood up, muttering something that sounded like, "Hufflepuff," and went over to said table. Hermione looked rather smug at the fact that Ron had listened to her, and Harry looked grateful that Ron had finally left it alone. Hermione stood up too, but, as Harry went to stand up, she put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down.

"Ow! What -?"

Hermione looked purposefully at Ginny.

"I don't think you've set a time yet," she told him, a small smile on her lips.

"Oh. Yeah," Harry said, realizing. "OK." He nodded. Hermione and Ron left for the common room, and Harry went up to where Ginny was sitting. She had stayed after her friends had left.

She looked up, and he felt his guts drop inside his stomach.

"I… uh…" Why did he have to lose his voice now, of all times?

"Hogsmeade, tomorrow," Ginny said, with an expression that said nothing. "I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall."

She got up and left, hiding a great smile upon her face, which Harry didn't get to see as he watched after her, his dazed expression returning to his face.

This feeling… it was definitely worth Ron's punch. In fact, it was worth a lot more.

He felt as if tomorrow couldn't come fast enough, and, unsurprisingly, sleep took forever.

"Harry," was heard minutes after he had closed his eyes, or that was what it seemed like. "Get up, you lazy prat."

A pillow hit him in the face, and he jumped up.

"Thanks," he tried to say sarcastically, though all that would come out was a 'mcz'. He wiped his eyes, and when he opened them Ron grinned at him.

"C'mon, I've got a bit of money this time," he said gleefully, jumping out of his own bed and grabbing his clothes.

"Wha –" Harry put his shirt on. "Where from?"

"Found it," Ron said, shrugging. Harry raised his eyebrows. "O-K, the Hufflepuff bloke gave me money to tell Lavender that he was already dating someone," he said happily. "She's his problem now, anyways… I wonder when we'll find his corpse tossed over the astronomy tower…"

"So, she'll leave you alone now? And Hermione, too?" Harry asked, putting his shoes on.

"Yeah. And I got something out of it too!" Ron said, jingling his pocket. Harry looked at him doubtfully.

"Just … don't tell Hermione where you got that money from."

Ron shrugged.

"Wasn't really planning on it. But hey, this time I'll pay for the drinks," he said. "What'll you have? Not that you have to decide now, of course." Ron laughed. Harry, once again, felt painfully sorry for Ron's lack of money.

"Um, well, I … you see, I don't think that … uh …"

Ron's eyes widened.

"Not again –" he frowned, and Harry could see he was putting two and two together. After a pause: "You're going with my sister, aren't you?" he said loudly.

Harry would have given anything to keep Ron quiet, because Dean was at the door. Harry squirmed a bit as Dean froze, but then proceeded to open it.

Harry grimaced, and Ron seemed apologetic.

"Poor bloke," he said after Dean.

"Lavender had it worse," Harry pointed out.

"Yeah, but she's mental, isn't she?"

He was obviously missing the point.

As they made there way down to the common room, something seemed to tick in Ron's brain.

"Hey!" he said, stopping and putting a hand on Harry's arm. "If you're going with Ginny… then it's just going to be me and Hermione…"

Harry nodded. "Yeah … ?"

"Does that mean that it's a date?" Ron asked, going red. Harry blinked.

"Ron, you've been dating for –"

"Without actually dating!" He looked like he was starting to panic. "What am I going to do?"

Harry shrugged. "Ron, it's _Hermione_. I don't think that she cares much."

"Yeah, but she's a girl, isn't she? Who knows how their mind works?"

Harry's insides squirmed a bit. What was he, Harry, going to do?

Ron seemed to be running things through in his mind.

"We'll go to the bookshop… but I don't even know which one that is… but Hermione likes books. Right? Right?" He hit Harry on the arm.

"Ah! Yes, sure. Whatever."

That seemed to be good enough for Ron.

As they got into the common room, Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Ginny wasn't there. Though that probably wasn't the right thing to feel, at least now he'd have more time to worry… ugh.

"Hey," Hermione said, coming towards them. Ron gulped. Hermione frowned, surprised. Harry shook his head. Ron didn't notice. They made their way down to the Great Hall.

"Harry – Harry's going with my sister," Ron told Hermione. Hermione beamed, not noticing Ron's strange behavior, or choosing not to.

"That's great!" she said. "What do you have in mind?"

Both Hermione and Ron were now looking at him, expectant.

"I – uh… I just – well, I –"

Hermione looked at him sympathetically, as Ron started to laugh.

"What did I tell you?" he asked her. "This is great," he sighed.

"Yes, Ron, it's wonderful," Hermione said sarcastically. She put a hand on Harry's arm. "It'll be fine."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, you two are right little schemers," Ron said, giving them accusing looks. Hermione rolled her eyes, but failed to not look guilty.

Breakfast went by only too fast, and in no time they were going out to the courtyard. But Harry reluctantly stopped at the entrance. Ron and Hermione turned back.

"Oh," Hermione said. "Well, bye!" she said.

"Ginny better like it," Ron said, half jokingly, half threatening. Hermione didn't hear, and he turned back to her, looking scared. Harry tried to suppress a snigger, but failed.

"What's so funny?" Ginny asked, appearing behind me.

Harry's heart nearly jumped out of his chest.

"Oh, your brother," he marveled at the coolness of his voice. "He reckons this is his and Hermione's first date."

Ginny nodded, and they made their way down the steps to the courtyard, which was empty already.

"He's right. When did he figure that one out?" she asked.

"Uh… about five minutes ago," Harry said, stopping, and laughed a bit. Ginny stopped too and smiled, but then her face fell.

They looked at each other, the awkwardness of the situation finally hitting them.

"Er…"

"Yeah…"

"We should g-"

"Yes."

Ginny nodded in agreement, and then she took a step forward.

Then Harry breathed out.

He put a hand on her shoulder.

_I can't believe I'm doing this_, he thought.

She turned to look at him.

"You know what?" he asked her.

She raised her eyebrows. "Yeah?"

"I like you," he breathed. A lot," he added, nodding his head thoughtfully once, as if punctuating what he said.

"Oh," Ginny said.

"I mean, I think about you all the time." He laughed awkwardly. "And, I just thought that… I thought that you should know that."

He looked at Ginny, and she blinked.

Harry nodded. "Good, then." He felt a lot better. He felt liberated. He felt that he could finally breathe, properly, for the first time in months. "Should we go then?" he asked. Ginny stayed where she was.

"Harry?" she asked. He turned back around as fast as humanly possible.

"Yeah?" he asked at once. Ginny blinked again, and then shook her head quickly. And then, in that same second, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. A kiss which he answered after only a split second of blissful surprise.

When they broke apart, Harry couldn't help but beam at her. She beamed back, arms still around his neck. For all he cared, her arms could stay there forever.

"I like you too," she said quietly. "A lot," she added, after a second's thought.

Harry couldn't help but grin even wider.

"That's cool," he said.

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Only cool?"

Harry blinked. "OK, then. It's great."

And so it was.


	22. Sectumpsempra Part 3

Next chapter is the last one! :(

It feels really weird to me. I'm gonna keep on opening a document and then go, "wait, no! that one's finished!"

:'( - me sad about the fic ending

Oh well! Here's the penultimate chappie!

:) - me smiling anyways, because that's what I do in times of confusion!

* * *

"Ron, stop looking out the window; they're not going to come here."

Ron turned back reluctantly to Hermione.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because, we're here. They're probably fine," she told him.

"Uh-huh…" he said uncertainly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I thought you were fine with it," she said, sipping her butterbeer.

"I am!" Ron said quickly. "I'm great. Harry's my new form of entertainment," he said, sipping his own butterbeer. It tasted even better now that he was going to buy it with his own money.

"So, what? You're waiting for the ten o'clock news?"

"N- wha?"

Hermione laughed a bit. "Oh, nothing. So, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Uh…" Ron's eyes went from side-to-side, nervously. "How about we go to the book shop?"

"Ooh, yes!" Hermione said, brightening up at the word _book_. "I really wanted to get a new –" she paused. "Wait," she said, frowning. "You never want to go to _Tomes and Scrolls_."

_Oh, so _that's_ what it's called_, Ron thought as Hermione eyed him suspiciously.

"What's wrong?" she then demanded.

"Nothing!"

"You say nothing, but then you want to go to a _book shop_," she said, shaking her head. "What's up?"

Ron panicked.

"OK, look," he said, leaning in towards her. "This is our first… you know…" Hermione raised questioning eyebrows, "Date."

Her eyes widened. "Oh! It is, isn't it? Because Harry's always around, and now – because he – so we're …" She turned a deep pink. Ron laughed.

"Wow, and I thought I was slow," he joked.

Hermione hit him playfully on the arm.

"So what do we do?" she asked. Ron shrugged.

"I dunno."

Hermione thought.

"How about this?" she asked, leaning in towards him. Ron grinned.

"S'pose so," he said, leaning into the kiss favorably.

* * *

"So… when did you know?" Ginny asked.

"Huh?" Harry said. "When did I know what?"

Ginny glared at him.

"Joking, joking…" he said. "Uh… I'm not really sure when it started … but when … you know. When me and Ron kind of found…" he went red. "I kind of flipped," he shrugged, to make it less awkward. He _couldn't_ lie to her. It was horrible.

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Really? Huh…" she said, and then smiled at him. He couldn't help but smile back… Ginny's smile was so contagious. She turned to look back down Hogsmeade, and Harry frowned.

"What about you?" he asked. Ginny turned her head further away from him, but he could tell that she was turning as red as her hair. "Oh, come on! You can't ask _me_ and then not say anything!"

"Promise you won't laugh!" she said, turning back around.

"You laughed at me!"

"But mine is worse."

"I don't get it."

"Yours wasn't even funny," she said.

"Who says yours is?"

Harry was completely at awe at how easily he could talk to Ginny. Couldn't she?

"I just don't want you to think of me as a silly little girl," she said.

"Uh-huh… hang on!" He looked at her. "Not really," he said, frowning.

"Why? What?" she pressed nervously.

"Not really since… you know?"

Ginny cringed.

"I suck," he said.

Ginny's eyes widened.

"What?"

"All that time ago!" he said, dismayed. "We could have had so much time together…" he said. Ginny took his hand.

"Well, we can have time now," she said, and then smiled. "How incredibly cheesy!" she laughed. Harry forced himself to laugh too. But he had a feeling that they didn't have much time at all. He wanted to take her face in his hands and kiss her again, to show her how much he really did care. But, there were so many people. So many people he knew, too.

_Screw it_, he thought, surprised at the fact that he could find no other phrase that meant the same thing but was less vulgar.

"Uh…"

"Yes?" Ginny said immediately.

"Can… can I kiss you again?"

Why did it have to sound so incredibly cheesy out loud? And laughable. He kicked himself internally.

"OK, then," she said.

"Is that it?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Why yes, sir Harry, of course you may kiss me again," she said in a ridiculous voice.

"Hahaha," he said smiling, and kissed her right there, the middle of Hogsmeade. He could feel people stopping to stare, and wondered if they didn't have anything better to do, but then again, he realized that he didn't care.

* * *

"OK, _Zonko's Joke Shop_ and _then_ _Tomes and Scrolls_," Hermione said.

"OK," Ron said, happy at how the plan had turned generously in his favor. "Oh, wait, I'll go and pay!" he said happily.

"OK, I'll wait outside," Hermione called after him. But she got no farther than the doorway. She stood there, and saw that nearly everybody (probably the Hogwarts students) had frozen, and were all looking at two people, standing in the middle of the street, seemingly oblivious.

Her mouth broke into a wide smile when she heard footsteps from behind her. She spun around and closed the door behind her.

"Ron!" she said, a little louder than intended. "D'you know what? How about another butterbeer?"

Ron frowned at her.

"OK… but you're paying for these ones. I have plans for this," he said, jingling his pockets.

"Charming, Ronald. Great first date material," she said, now making sure that she sat in front of the window.

* * *

"How'd it go?" Ron asked reluctantly once they met back up at the Entrance Hall.

"Fine," Harry said.

"Just fine?" Hermione asked, a small smile creeping onto her lips. Harry frowned at the similarity.

"OK, then, great," he said, pulling a goofy smile. Hermione beamed, but Ron had been fine with just "fine."

Harry's face fell. "Uh… Hermione, can I talk to you for a second?"

Ron eyed him suspiciously, but Harry gave nothing away.

"OK," Hermione said. Before the two left, Harry whispered, "You're the one who said that I needed a friend who was a girl," shrugging.

"What is it?" Hermione asked Harry once they were sitting on the stairs, ignoring people passing by. Harry frowned at Hermione's patience silence.

"No mind reading this time?" he asked.

"What? Oh, well, I already know that you and Ginny kissed… you two made quite a show of it, too."

Harry turned red.

"OK then. I suppose what I wanted to say is that… I want to tell her."

"What? Propose your undying love?" Hermione said, smiling.

"Oh, look, who knew that you had a sense of humor," Harry said sarcastically. Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, I wanted to tell you that I think I should tell her about… you know…"

"That it wasn't real?" Hermione said, concentrating hard.

"Well, yeah."

"Hmm…" Hermione said. "I'm not sure…"

"Well, you told Ron-"

"_You_ told Ron," Hermione said sternly.

Harry brushed that one away. "Well, I just think that she deserves the truth."

"Who knew, Harry Potter, a romantic," Hermione said, smiling.

"Oh, I'm anything but that. Seriously!" he said as Hermione laughed. "I suck! I can't do anything right, I trip over words…"

"Maybe that's what made me and you so unbelievable."

There was an awkward silence.

Harry couldn't help but remember the awkward kiss months ago. He wondered if Hermione was thinking about it too, and as an answer, she said, "I'm sorry." Harry blinked and looked back at her. "Even though we both got what we wanted, it all seems incredibly dim-witted. I mean, you obviously would have got Ginny; she didn't act upon me and you at all, really. Except for that fork in the table…" Harry raised his eyebrows, "But that just confirmed what we already knew!"

"What fork?" Harry asked. Hermione ignored him.

"And Ron… well, he only broke up with Lavender when he knew how I felt about him," she turned slightly pink, "and it all seems like a ridiculously elaborate way to get him to know."

Harry reflected upon this for a moment.

"I suppose the true lesson is that you and I don't really like each other in that way and never have. At all," he said, shrugging.

Hermione nodded, but refused to look at him. "Yes."

Harry frowned. "What kind of a _yes_ was that?" he asked, confused.

Hermione bit her lip for a second, and then babbled, "I might have had a tiny little crush on you through third year!" she said all very fast.

Harry blinked.

"What?"

Hermione cringed. "I don't know!" she moaned. "Do you hate me now?"

Harry blinked again. "Hate you? No, that was years ago, right?"

Hermione breathed out a sigh of relief. "Yes."

That was a yes Harry believed.

But then she kept on talking.

"So, that night, when you came to comfort me about Ron, I believed that there was no possible way for him to think about me in that way, and then I remembered our third year and I just got caught up in the moment-"

"_What moment_?"

"-And kissed you, but by accident! I didn't mean it! I mean, I did, but I just wanted to give it a go, though I didn't really, because it was stupid knowing the feelings you have for Ginny, but then I realized that it was a horrible thing to do and that I don't really like you in that way at all!"

Harry just stared at her. She breathed out.

"Phew," she said, obviously glad to get that off of her chest. And then she caught Harry staring. "Oh, you do hate me now!"

He turned his gaze and looked at the stairs.

"Okay…" he finally said. "First thing: I barely understood a word you just said."

Hermione looked at him questioningly, but he raised his eyebrows.

"Oh!" she said. "Good!" she breathed, smiling.

"And second… you're such a girl!" he teased.

"Wha – What's that supposed to mean?"

Harry just shook his head, laughing.

"You're really horrible," she told him.

"Yeah, I know, I'm just too irresistible," he said. Hermione slapped him on the arm.

"Not - Funny!" she said, hitting him twice more. "I wish I hadn't told you. I didn't know you were so prone to big-headedness."

"Hey! I AM Harry Potter! I AM the Boy Who Lived!"

She hit him again.

"OK, OK. Sorry," he said sincerely.

"Hmph."

There was another awkward silence, but this one was just a bit more relieved.

"So, should I tell her?"

"That's up to you," Hermione said.

"Hey, if it's like Ron, you're the one to expect a punch."

Hermione went white.

"I like Ginny," she whispered.

"I like Ron," he said. And then:

"But not like that," they said in chorus, and grinned at each other.

"But it's still up to you more than to me," Hermione said again.

"Well I want to," Harry said at once. "I'm sick of the lies."

Hermione searched his eyes. "What about… everyone? Wouldn't it feel better to have everyone know?" she asked.

Harry looked at her as if she was crazy. "What, so everyone can know how desperate we were? Uh, no."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I take back what you said about being romantic. Boys _hate_ admitting their feelings. No matter how long a time," she added.

"Yeah, and while you tell yourself that, remember that you were in on it too."

* * *

I happen to think it's really funny that none of you review the chapters I'm most nervous about. And by funny, I mean annoying.

But then again, I don't really mind, because three people did and their reviews were awesome :D

Review!


	23. The End

AN - OK, normally I put these in after I write the chapter, but I'm going to do this first, otherwise I might forget stuff. And some of you might not even read this, but whatever.

This is the last chapter!

Aaaaaah!

This fic has been a BIG part of my everyday life (which is kind of sad). But it's over!

So, I'll start with this, because I always forget to put these in: **Disclaimer**! I own nothing of anything that has appeared in this fic! (good enough for ya?)

Now, I'm going to thank some readers from the top of my head (they're in no particular order!)… here goes: **_Nomadsaw, cjnicole, lunaly-lovely, HarryPottersBiggestFanRIMSHA, vlaovic, Elizabeth Lullaby,_** **_housefreak13 _**... and there are loads more! :D

Everyone who has ever reviewed/alerted/favorited this story ever is awesome! If you're reading this you're awesome too!

Ah! I'm going to have to switch the status from In Progress to Complete.

Creepy.

Oh... I really can't think of anything else to put here now.

Be sure to check out my other stories I'm doing right now! _Pen Pals_ and T_he Mudblood Who Hit Draco Malfoy_.

So this is it. This is the end.

And I'm still nervous about this.

Goodbye and farewell my friends!

(Oh, and reviews would still be nice)

* * *

Harry tried to spend the rest of dinner in thought, but he failed miserably. Ginny was completely cornered, and had given him a sorry look as he and Hermione had finally come into the Great Hall. Hermione had taken the only seat next to Ron pointedly. But then she had also looked sorry as there was no possible place for him to sit. So he had ended up between Dennis and Colin Creevey, who hadn't really taken no for an answer.

"Is it awkward, now that your best friends are dating?"

"When did you fall for Ginny?"

And then… "Do you think that you'll be able to defeat You-Know-Who this time, Harry?"

"He is getting very powerful."

"The people in my dorm don't think that you'll be able to do it, but I set them straight."

"Mine too, Harry. Does your scar hurt a lot?"

"People say that you're unhinged."

"We don't, though, of course… hey, Harry?" Colin laughed and slapped him on the back. Harry smiled in a cringey sort of way before they started again.

"Hey, Harry, Did you hear the one about the Squib and the Grindylow? People like to call the Squib Filch, though, since he never does any magic…"

"Dennis, that's a terrible joke."

"Yeah, but maybe he wants to hear it-"

"No, of course he doesn't, ey, Harry?"

"You do, don't you ,Harry?"

They both stared at him expectant, and that was when he realized that he was finally going to be allowed to talk.

"Er… no, not really."

Colin beamed at his brother, who looked upset.

"But I'm tired. I should probably go to bed." He faked a yawn, and Colin nodded wisely.

"You should. You can't defeat the Dark Lord if you don't get enough sleep, can you Harry?"

_Or eat my greens._

"Er… I don't think so…" he said, frowning.

"Well, nice talking to you, Harry," Colin said, slapping him around the back, as if they chatted on a regular basis.

"Er… yeah. Bye."

Harry wasn't sure that he could have gotten out of there any faster if he wanted to. But then, as he got out of the hall…

"Hey, Harry-"

"_What_?" he demanded, swinging around. "What could you possibly – oh… hey Ginny."

She giggled as he turned red.

"I couldn't talk to you, my friends attacked me. Walk with me?" she asked, beckoning him outside.

"Sure. So, what did you say?" he asked, grinning. "To your friends, I mean."

"Well, they wanted to know if you had a tattoo…"

"What? How would you know that?"

Ginny shrugged; that was all. Harry frowned.

"What did you say?" he repeated. She grinned. "Oh…" he groaned. "OK, then, lets have it. Where and what?" he asked, stopping.

"I told them that… well, _they_ thought that you had a Hippogriff."

Harry's mouth hung open slightly. "Who said that?"

Ginny put her hands up. "I don't know! Isn't that the most ridiculous thing?"

"So I'm taking that you didn't give me a Pygmy Puff?"

She grinned. "I said that you had a Horntail. Much more manly," she said.

Harry grinned back. "Where is it then?" he asked.

"Right… here," she said, putting her finger on his chest. He felt electricity as her finger pressed against his robes, and breathed quickly. Then there was an awkward moment, in which he contemplated Ginny in the early night light.

"_How would you know that_?" he asked again as soon as he realized that he was staring _way_ to long. She shrugged again, and they started walking again.

"Let their minds run wild-"

"You've been spending too much time with Luna-"

"Or with Trelawney."

"Did you know that according to her, I'm dying tomorrow?"

Ginny suddenly looked panicked.

"And the day after that, and the day after that…" he added.

She punched him playfully. "That wasn't nice," she told him. "She tells me that I'm going to die a lot too." This suddenly made Harry angry. It was one thing when she told him that he was going to die, but it was completely different if Ginny was going to die. "Especially over the past few months… She says I keep on getting closer to the thing that could kill me." Her voice became soft.

"Not funny," Harry said quickly.

"I don't care!" Ginny said. "She's mental." She shrugged again.

They stayed in silence for a while more. Harry couldn't help but agree with Trelawney. For the first time in his life.

Scary.

But here it was again; him being a selfish git. He just got Ginny… he wasn't going to give her away any time soon.

But right now, he had to get something off of his chest.

"Ginny?"

She turned to look at him.

"Yes?" she asked immediately.

"Er… I need to … there's something …"

She smiled and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Yes?" she asked when they parted. He blinked himself back to reason. They walked once more again, until they reached the lake, which had an eerie glow in the moonlight.

"Can you promise that you won't hate me?" _Oh, great. Coward, coward, coward._

Ginny frowned. "What did you do?" she asked resignedly.

"It's more about… what I've done."

"What have you done, then?" she asked, brow furrowed.

"I lied," he said simply. "To everyone. Even Ron," he added, nodding. She stared.

"What about Hermione?" she asked suspiciously.

"She was in on it, so… yeah."

"Are you going to tell me what it is?"

"Er… yeah. I mean, I want to, but … whoa, I'm really nervous right now," he said, wondering if there was still some sort of way to avoid this now.

"You're making it sound a lot worse than it probably is," Ginny said, crossing her arms. Harry winced.

"Am I?" She nodded. "OK, then. Here goes: we weren't really dating."

Ginny blinked.

"At all," he added. "It was her idea, because of Ron, and I didn't want to do it, so we weren't going to do it, but I saw you with Dean, and kind of flipped and agreed to it."

Ginny just stared at him. He waited, heart beating fast. Too fast. Was he dead?

And then Ginny smiled triumphantly. This time he blinked.

"_I knew it_!" she said loudly, fist punching the air in victory.

"Wait – what?"

"I knew it!" she repeated.

"Wha – how?"

"I don't know, I just knew," she said, shrugging, and still smiling.

"Oh," was all Harry could say.

She breathed, and put on a straight face.

"Can you promise that you won't hate me?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Er…"

"I kind of started the rumor. You know, the one that said that you guys weren't really together."

Harry blinked.

"Really? I was wondering who that had been… so you don't hate me?" he asked tentatively.

"No," she said. "I mean, I think I love you." And then she covered her mouth quickly. And then she put her hands down, and frowned at him. "Not yet," she breathed. Harry put his hands up.

"Okay," he agreed. "Not yet," he said, though he was smiling. Ginny tried to look cross.

"I'm not laughing. Just because I don't hate you, it doesn't mean that I'm not angry."

"Huh?"

"You need to do something. For me. I shouldn't need to give you a reason. You should just do it. But the reason is to stop me from being pissed.

"OK…"

"You need to tell the whole school."

"_What_?"

"I'm not kidding. Tomorrow, at breakfast, you have to do it."

"Why?"

"I told you. And wouldn't it be better … to have this off of your chest?"

"You've been talking to Hermione, haven't you?"

"No. Why?"

"She reckons that I should do it too. But why me? If I do it, she has to too!"

* * *

Hermione and Ron trudged their way up to Gryffindor tower after nearly the whole hall was empty, not looking at each other. They still hadn't gotten quite used to being a couple, so when they were without Harry, it was just… strangely awkward. They liked each other, there was no question. But that's just how things were.

"I like your hair," Ron said feebly.

"Oh," Hermione said, hands rising to her bushy head. "Thank you," she said, pink.

They walked in silence for another few seconds.

"Hey, 'Mione," Ron then said.

"Yes?"

He stopped.

"You like me, right?"

Hermione blushed and stopped too.

"Yes, of course I do-"

"Then you have to do something."

Hermione frowned.

"I – what?"

"Listen; I know what you and Harry – that he and you – that that wasn't real, but it feels like a…" he scrunched up his face in concentration. "An invisible barrier." It sounded like he was reciting it.

"Oh, does it? I'm so sorry! I never meant to – Oh, I know it does, doesn't it? It was all so silly!"

"Uh, yeah, it was. But listen," he said, stepping towards her. "I hear the whispers around this place. You hear them too."

Hermione gulped.

"These people… that reckon that you were better off with him – I know that you don't feel that way! People that reckon that you were cheating on him," he tried to suppress a grin, "but they're keeping me down. They're keeping us down."

"How poetic," Hermione said quietly, frowning.

"OK then. It's pissing me off!"

Hermione laughed lightly.

"So what do you want me to do?"

Ron took another step forward, his eyes searching hers.

"I want you to tell them. All of them. I want you to tell them that it wasn't real."

Hermione stammered. "I – wha – how do you expect me to do that?"

"Tomorrow," Ron said, after a moments thought. "At breakfast."

"I – but I – Harry has to too!" she whined.

* * *

It was breakfast.

The two couples sat together. The boys on one side, the girls on the other.

Harry's gaze kept on flickering between Hermione and Ginny. He hadn't told Hermione. He had come to the decision that it was really his fault, all in all. He had taken advantage of her. It hadn't been right.

He knew that the time was coming. Ginny kept on sending him expecting glances.

So, suddenly, he stood up. His three companions looked up at him. Ron with a surprised look, Hermione too. Ginny looked slightly smug, but keeped her face straight.

Harry cleared his throat.

"Uh, hello, everyone. Can you – I mean – HELLO EVERYONE!" he shouted.

And in that moment he felt everyone's eyes swivel towards him. He gave the teacher's table a quick glance and unhappily saw that the teachers were looking at them too.

"OK. This isn't as important as you think it might be, it's not going to be some sort of vital speech. And I know all you are kind of expecting that," (Colin was looking embarrassed) "but really, I just wanted to say something, and it would mean a lot to me if you listened."

Nobody spoke.

"OK then. Good. This is going to sound stupid," he muttered. "I never dated Hermione Granger," he said loudly. Hermione gasped. "It was a lie. A rouse. Whatever." Whispers erupted, most disinterested.

And then Hermione stood up. "That's not fair!" she said suddenly. "_I_ was going to say that I had never dated _you_!" she said, looking at him.

More whispers erupted. Harry was sure that he could hear Dumbledore laugh…

And then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny wink … at Ron. And then - _was that a high five_?

And then a thought hit him – what if it had never been him and Hermione.

What if … what if it had always been Ginny and Ron …?

Impossible. But Ginny had said that she had known. But she still hadn't seemed surprised. What were the possibilities that she had told Ron her hypothesis? But when would've that been... Ron may have had his doubts. Ron may have had nothing to do with it at all. Or maybe, the punch wasn't enough. Maybe he needed proper payback. Maybe Ginny helped. A lot.

He looked at Hermione.

She looked at him.

They both groaned and sat down, as the two siblings grinned at each other.

* * *

"I knew," Ginny was saying, "ever since I told you about the _rumor," _she gave Harry a mischievous look and he shook his head. "Hermione, you're a _terrible_ liar."

Hermione looked put out.

"And then she told me. I didn't believe her - not really. But then again. Harry, you're my best mate. I could sense that there was something up."

"Oh, you're so clever," Hermione said, but waited for them to say more.

"So we went into a 'what if' planning spree-"

"Every time I could get away from Lavender and you two got away from me."

"And then he told me - about two weeks after he got poisoned - that he was doing it! That it was a lie! And that you two had broken up because he had found out."

"_I told him,_" Harry clarified. "By accident," he then added. He looked at Ron questioningly, and Ron shook his head.

"Nah, I didn't tell her that," he said. Ginny frowned.

"Tell me what?"

"But I did tell her that I hit you and stuff. That was actually kind of part of the plan," he shrugged. "The second one was real," he added under his breath, but Ginny didn't hear. Hermione frowned at him.

"The plan was hypothetical, though," Ginny said in her defense. "I didn't actually think that he was going to do it," she told Harry.

"Hmph," he said.

"So yeah," Ron said, shrugging.

"And then we just planned the Great Hall as our big finale!" Ginny said grandiously.

"You two have too much Fred and George in you," Harry muttered.

"More like she has," Ron said. "She's the criminal mastermind-"

"Hey!"

"It's true!"

"I saw you two high five! Which makes you partners in crime."

Ron and Ginny looked guilty.

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances.

"But we forgive you," Hermione said.

"Yeah," Harry said, not completely sure how they had non-verbally agreed to that. In fact, he hadn't agreed at all.

"Let's just ... start over," Hermione breathed. " And do things properly."

She patted out her skirt, and the three of them looked at her questioningly.

"Ron," she said, and Ron jumped a bit. Ginny rolled her eyes. "I like you. A lot. I've had a huge crush on you for some time and - and I'm not ashamed. Would you like to be my boyfriend?" she asked confidently.

Ron blinked, and Ginny pushed him.

"You have to do it too," Hermione said.

"Oh," he said. "Uh... Hermione," he said, coughing a bit. "I kind've liked you ever since fourth year and you started ... you know, dating Krum. It really made me mad, and I couldn't really stand it at all. So yeah. Er... would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"Is that it?" Ginny asked, but Hermione seemed content.

"Yes," she said, beaming.

"Great," Ron agreed. "I mean, me too."

Hermione hugged him and he hugged back.

Then they just looked red, but Ron then shrugged and kissed her. Ginny stared at Harry, and mouthed: _Do we have to do that? _

_I don't know_, he mouthed back.

They broke apart, and stared at Harry and Ginny, who looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes.

"You're go," Ron said decidedly.

"Er..."

"No thanks," Ginny said. "Sorry, Hermes."

Hermione glared at her.

"_Do it_," she said, frowning.

Ginny looked scared.

"Er... Harry, your go!"

Harry sighed.

"This is it, right? I do this, and all is forgotten, no more scheming, from anyone?"

"No more scheming," Ron said.

"Well..." Ginny started, but Hermione frowned. "Sure, then." Harry laughed.

"Okay then," he turned to face Ginny. "Ginny ... I like you, it might even be a little bit more than like. _But_," he said, pressing on, ignoring Ron's confused face, "right here and now, all I want is for you to be with me." Oh, he was sure that that had sounded crummy. But Hermione... aw'ed, a little bit?

Hermione kicked Ginny a bit.

"You're go," she whispered.

"This is stupid," Ginny said, and Harry shrugged. Her face fell into an oddly serious one, however. "Harry. I suppose I should probably tell you that you're not the easiest guy to date. I know that come the time, you're going to have to leave." Harry looked surprised. "I'm not saying I know anything that might actually be true, but it's going to happen. I'm letting you know that I don't really care who you are, or what you have to do." She sighed. "And that's it."

Harry knew that to Ron it meant confusion; to Hermione it meant maybe another _aw;_ but to him it meant the world.

"Cool," he said. "I mean," he grinned, "Great."

THE END

TAH-DAH!


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